Hospital alert as Scotland enters ‘worst case scenario’
● Health board tells the public to stay away from A&E unless life-threatening
Scotland’s largest health board has issued an “urgent public appeal” as health secretary Humza Yousaf declared the country had reached the “worst-case scenario” for Covid case rates.
NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde has asked people to stay away from accident-and-emergency (A&E) departments unless their condition is very urgent or life-threatening.
Officials said staff were struggling to cope with “unprecedented and unsustainable” demand, claiming A&E departments across the health board were all operating well over capacity, which is having a “huge impact” on service provision.
The warning came as Mr Yousaf said the next two weeks were set to be the "most difficult" faced by the NHS in its 73-year existence.
The admission comes as Scotland yesterday recorded its one millionth case of Covid-19 since the start of the pandemic. NHS Lothian separately warned its services were now working under “the most extreme and sustained pressure”, and the health board has been forced to prioritise capacity on the most urgent patients.
Mr Yousaf said the NHS faced “really difficult decisions” in the coming week as pressure is expected to mount.
“We’re clearly into the worst case scenario in terms of levels of infection,” he said .
He said Omicron “thankfully” tended to be a less severe infection and this would “hopefully give us a more optimistic picture in terms of hospitalisations”.
But he added: “Even a small percentage of a big number is itself a big number at a time when the NHS doesn’t have much headroom at all, and that is putting real pressure, coupled with staff absences, on our NHS and social care system. I don’t think there’s any way of sugar coating the fact that
these next few weeks will probably be amongst the most difficult our NHS has ever faced in its 73-year existence.
“We are facing pressures on a number of fronts. We have the pandemic backlog that has built up over the last 21-odd months, we have high levels of staff absences, with increases because of Omicron and its higher transmissibility.
"Then, of course, we are also treating people, over 1,200 people who are in hospital with Covid.”
Dr Scott Davidson, deputy medical director for acute services at NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde (NHSGGC), said staff were under “severe” pressure.
“Our A&ES remain open and continue to assess, treat and admit emergency patients,” he said.
"However, they are extremely busy and staff are facing huge challenges to ensure we’re able to treat patients safely and as quickly as possible.
"We continue to see large numbers of people attending with symptoms that could be managed by speaking to a GP, local pharmacy or by calling NHS24 on 111 before attending A&E.
“As a result of current demand at A&E, people are facing long wait times and our staff are under severe pressure.
“There are other services geared up and ready to see and treat you. If you’ve had a slip, trip or fall, we have numerous Minor Injuries Units (MIUS) across NHS GGC which can look after you, including if you’ve broken a limb.”
Jacquie Campbell, chief officer of acute services at NHS Lothian, said the health board had also seen staff absences increase.
"Winter is traditionally the busiest time of year for the NHS, but Covid-19 has meant that our services are now working under the most extreme and sustained pressure due to a combination of staffing and bed pressures, combined with high volumes of patients presenting with complex and serious cases,” she said.
“We continue to focus our capacity on the most clinically urgent patients and have a process to prioritise those most in need.”
Ms Campbell urged members of the public to consider calling 111 or visiting a minor injuries unit or pharmacy if appropriate.
"The number of staff absent from work can increase in line with rising numbers of positive cases across Lothian and we would ask the public to be vigilant and continue to take the necessary steps to reduce the spread of Omicron,” she said.
Willie Duffy, head of health at Unison, said the union’s members in health and social care were increasingly under strain.
“We have repeatedly been contacted by our members to say it's very, very difficult,” he said.
“There are a lot of staff absences through isolation and various other things. It’s basically non-stop for them, there is no respite.”
Scottish Labour’s health spokesperson Jackie Baillie label led the call from nhs ggc “incredibly worrying”.
"Everything possible must be done to support NHSGGC staff as they continue to work under immense pressure,” she said.
“The fact of the matter is that the SNP’S complete failure to support A&E departments, have adequate numbers of health and social care staff, and deal with delayed discharge is now putting lives at risk.
"There are significant reported delays in getting through to NHS24, with people waiting over an hour for calls to be answered. This must also be urgently addressed by the SNP Government to ensure that people are able to access appropriate care quickly.
“Humza Yousaf must act to bring this situation under control immediately.”
Scottish Conservative MSP Dr Sandesh Gulhane said the call was “damning evidence” the NHS was unprepared for the pressures of winter.
“A&E services have been overwhelmed for months on end and now patients are being told to try and access treatment elsewhere,” he said.
“While patients should be directed towards the right care, they will not be reassured by this messaging from the country’s largest health board.”
“Humza Yousaf must guarantee no patient will be turned away from A&E if they do require urgent care and get on top of the crisis that is continuing to engulf all areas of our health service right now.”
Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Alex Cole-hamilton said the news was “alarming”.
“NHS staff continue to be under extreme pressure and patients are paying the price,” he said. “After almost two years of this pandemic and the new Omicron variant, the Government should have had a real plan in motion,” he said." patients and staff deserve new hope and the assurance that, in the unlucky case they need it, their local A&E will not turn them away.”
Ms Baillie also raised concerns about the latest figures, up to Wednesday, showing almost a quarter of all care homes in Scotland have at least one suspected Covid-19 case.
There is at least one suspected case of Covid-19 in 251 care homes, Ms Baillie said.
In the week from December 27, 2021, to last Sunday, January 2, there were 612 new confirmed cases among care home residents.
The number of staff across all care homes confirmed as positive was 1,098.