15-mile trek for help when A&E is on our doorstop is not on
NHS under fire for asking Paisley patients to go elsewhere
Royal Alexandra Hospital services must be supported after patients were told to travel out of town for treatment, an MSP has demanded.
Neil Bibby has blasted NHS bosses, saying nobody should be turned away from their local hospital due to staffing pressures.
He spoke out after the sick and injured were told to shun the RAH and trudge to other wards — including one 15 miles away.
The Labour man hit out after health board chiefs asked patients to head elsewhere.
He said: “Things got so bad over the winter break that patients needing treatment were being directed to the New Victoria Hospital, in Glasgow.
“Injured people from Paisley and the surrounding areas are being told that, instead of going to their hospital, they now have to make their way to the southside of Glasgow — a £30-plus round trip in a taxi.”
Scottish Government figures reveal A&E patients are facing long waits at the RAH, with more than a third not seen within the target time in the last week of 2017.
More than 150 patients had to wait longer than eight hours, with 18 waiting over 12 hours to be seen.
Renfrewshire Health and Social Care Partnership (HSCP) pleaded with patients with broken bones, burns and cuts to visit hospitals in Glasgow instead.
It recommended travel to the New Stobhill Hospital — 15 miles from the RAH.
Bosses also suggested travelling to the city’s New Victoria Hospital, eight miles away; and the West Glasgow Ambulatory Care Hospital, almost 11 miles out.
Stuart Sutton, clinical director at HSCP, last week tweeted a warning of strain in the RAH.
He said: “If you live in Renfrewshire, hospitals, including the RAH, are under significant pressure today.
“If not an emergency, please consider NHS inform, local pharmacy, optometrist, dentist, minor injury unit at the New Victoria Hospital and your GP.”
Strict Holyrood guidelines insist 95 per cent of patients should be seen at A&E within four hours.
Across Scotland, only 78 per cent of patients were seen within the appropriate time in the final week of 2017.
Trade union Unison warn “underfunding” and “shortstaffing” are placing undue pressure on medics in casualty.
A spokesman said: “The increase in workload, cuts to services, staff shortages and low pay have all contributed to making the NHS a difficult and pressurised place to work.”
NHS bosses apologised for the delays patients have faced and insisted staff are doing their best to cope with demand.
A spokeswoman said: “Hospitals across Greater Glasgow and Clyde, like all hospitals across the UK, are extremely busy with winter pressures from the flu, respiratory infections and norovirus.
“We planned for these winter pressures by creating extra capacity, such as extra inpatient beds at Gartnavel General Hospital.
“Our winter plan is designed to create extra resilience and enable us to respond to these additional pressures and open additional inpatient beds where appropriate.
“These winter beds are currently being used as part of our response to the winter pressures we are experiencing.
“Due to the high level of demand, a number of our patients have waited longer than we would have liked to be seen, diagnosed, treated and either admitted or discharged and we apologise to those patients who experienced lengthy waits.
“In 2017, more than 58,000 were seen, diagnosed, treated and either admitted or discharged within four hours at the Royal Alexandra Hospital.
“It is also important to note that attendances in December 2017 at the RAH were 7.9 per cent higher than in December 2016.
“At this busy time we have been reminding people to use their emergency services appropriately — for example go to our minor injury units and use the expertise of pharmacists where possible and only to use Emergency Departments for serious injuries and major emergencies.
“Our Minor Injuries Units at West Glasgow, Stobhill, Vale of Leven Hospitals are the best place for the rapid treatment of minor injuries, including sprains and cuts and broken bones. For minor ailments, patients can self care or go to their pharmacy.
“Our staff are working very hard to ensure patients attending all our hospitals are treated as quickly as possible.”