Scottish Conservative and Unionist MSP for Lothian Miles Briggs said:“The figures are an embarrassment for Humza Yousaf and are indicative of the extent to which he failed in his role as Heath Secretary.
“It is completely unacceptable that in the space of 3 years the percentage seen withing 4 hours dropped almost 35% from 94.6% to 60% in Lothian.
“Despite being well into the swing of Spring, the figures for Lothian are now worse than at the peak winter times.
“In taking his eye off the ball and doing his best to appease the independence hardliners during the leadership contest, Lothian and Scotland’s figures have deteriorated further.
“While as Health Secretary he was clearly unable to find a solution to the mess he created, one of his first priorities as the new First Minister must be to get on top of the situation and find someone who can clear up the disaster that he presided over.”
Residents in care homes for older adults are receiving their spring COVID-19 booster from today (Monday) as the latest stage of the national vaccination programme gets underway.
Following recent advice from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI), a spring booster dose will also be offered to those aged 75 and over from 11 April and individuals aged five and over with a weakened immune system from 24 April. These groups will either receive appointment details through their preferred means of contact or will be sent details of how to book.
Health Secretary Humza Yousaf said: “We know that people in high-priority groups are at higher risk of serious illness from COVID-19 so I welcome the start of the spring rollout which will offer an additional dose to those who are most vulnerable, boosting their protection.
“Prioritising those most at risk has been our approach from the outset and vaccination has been our most effective tool against COVID-19. However, the degree of protection offered does fade over time, which is why booster vaccination is needed.
“I continue to encourage everyone to receive the doses they are eligible for as and when they become available.”
Humza Yousaf must be sacked for ‘dangerous negligence’, Scottish Labour MSP Sarah Boyack has said, as the party revealed that the number of patients waiting over 12 hours to be seen in Accident and Emergency in Lothian has soared.
Statistics have shown that, in the year from November 2021 to October 2022, a shocking 15,936 people in NHS Lothian spent more than 12 hours in A&E waiting to be seen – despite an SNP government commitment to see 95% of patients within four hours.
This figure has spiralled in recent years, with the number of people waiting more than 12 hours now around 18 times higher than the same period in 2018/19.
With A&E services in disarray and the situation only worsening throughout the winter, Scottish Labour is warning that lives will be lost due to the SNP-created A&E crisis.
Scottish Labour MSP Sarah Boyack said: “The facts are plain for all to see – NHS Lothian’s A&E services have been plunged into a deadly freefall by Humza Yousaf’s dangerous negligence.
“Despite the efforts of hardworking staff, the number of patients spending a shocking 12 hours waiting in A&E has soared this year.
“The SNP’s mismanagement of our NHS is putting lives at risk – we urgently need a real plan to put a stop to this chaos and protect services in Lothian.”
The Scottish Conservatives are also calling for Yousaf’s sacking. A spokesperson said: “With each passing week, Humza Yousaf continues to preside over complete chaos in our A&E departments.
“His tenure as Health Secretary has been nothing short of a disaster and Nicola Sturgeon must sack him immediately.”
Number of A&E patients waiting more than 12 hours:
Innovative OPAT scheme saves 45,000 hospital admission bed days
A new service which has already saved 45,000 hospital bed days this year is being further rolled out over the coming months.
The Out-patient Antimicrobial Therapy (OPAT) service allows people to be treated at home or in out-patient settings – reducing the need for hospital admission or long stays.
Patients are able to receive intravenous antimicrobial therapy or other complex antibiotic treatment in an out-patient clinic at a time convenient to them, and in some areas even at home rather than as an inpatient.
The service, part of the right care in the right place initiative, is just one of many innovative programmes which health boards are using to help reduce pressures on the rest of the system.
Figures published by the Scottish Antimicrobial Prescribing Group show that between 17 January 2022 and 21 August 2022 on average 250 people per week have been treated by the OPAT service and more than 45,000 hospital admission bed days have been avoided in that period.
OPAT services are supported by £50 million of Scottish Government funding through the Urgent and Unscheduled Care Collaborative.
Beleaguered Health Secretary Humzah Yousaf welcomed a piece of good news. He said: “I am pleased to see the roll-out of the Out-patient Antimicrobial Therapy service.
“We know that our accident and emergency departments continue to be under significant pressure, and that is why we are working at pace to deliver this scheme, and others like it, to provide more care in the community while reducing pressure on hospitals.
“We know there is a real benefit to treating people at home where possible. We are determined to build on this success and want to see this approach adopted across as many health boards as possible.”
Dr Andrew Seaton, Chair of the Scottish Antimicrobial Prescribing Group and Consultant in Infectious Diseases, said: ““Hospitals are under significant pressure as we try to recover from the effects of the COVID pandemic and there is a real need for initiatives to support recovery and promote different ways of caring for our patients traditionally managed in hospitals.
“OPAT is an excellent example of how nurses, pharmacists and doctors can work together to provide high quality patient centred care without the need for a hospital bed. The focus now on further developing virtual capacity and new ways of working with support across Scotland for initiatives like ours is very welcome”.
Nine health boards currently use OPAT services and the programme will be rolled out further over the coming months.
Yesterday’s announcement was somewhat overshadowed by news that the latest hospital waiting times in Scotland are the WORST EVER.
Scottish Conservative health spokesman Dr Sandesh Gulhane MSP said the figures showed the “crisis in A&E is not merely continuing, but deepening”.
