Yousaf view sparks fury
HEALTH Secretary Humza Yousaf has sparked fury after urging Scots to think twice before calling 999 for an ambulance, as he warned the NHS is facing an “extraordinarily difficult winter”.
He said people should consider whether it is “absolutely critical” for them to call for an ambulance as waiting times soar.
Yousaf spoke out after the Daily Record revealed a crisis in the Scottish Ambulance Service – with queues of ambulances forced to wait outside A&E departments.
We also revealed that the average wait for an ambulance had reached six hours, while the number of patients who spend more than the four-hour target time in accident and emergency has hit record highs.
Yousaf spoke out yesterday on the crisis and when asked if people should “think twice” before calling an ambulance, the Health Secretary said: “Yes is the short answer to that.”
He said people who were “picking up the phone to call 999 to call an ambulance” should consider if this is “absolutely critical” – although he stressed if it was they should “of course make that call and the ambulance service will get to you as quickly as they possibly can”.
Yousaf told how the ambulance service was being given an “extra £20million injection” to help boost staff numbers.
“We are beginning to see more and more ambulance staff recruited,” he said.
But opposition MSPs said the “reckless” comments from the Health Secretary could put lives at risk. Scottish Labour health spokeswoman Jackie Baillie said: “Ambulance services are in crisis due to the SNP’s failure to support frontline workers and paramedics.
“Humza Yousaf should focus on fixing the problem rather than shaming Scots who are fearing for their health. There’s no time to delay.”
New Scottish Lib Dem leader Alex ColeHamilton said: “Humza Yousaf is proving a reckless Health Secretary. Encouraging people not to seek treatment is a huge gamble.
“Winter pressures come around every year. It is the job of Health Secretary to ensure that the NHS has the resources it needs to cope with demand.”
The recent surge in coronavirus cases has resulted in rising numbers of patients in hospital with the virus – with the total now more than 1000 again.
This in turn is putting pressure on other parts of the health service, said Yousaf. He added: “We are in for an extraordinarily difficult winter.
“The last time we had 1000 patients in hospital with Covid was December 2020. Our A&E presentations now, when we have the same number of Covid patients, is 40 per cent higher.”