Army mobilised to aid NHS
Troops called in to ferry key staff to keep wards open
SOLDIERS were deployed last night to help transport NHS workers to two of Scotland’s busiest hospitals.
Troops were sent in at 6pm to escort ‘critical staff’ such as doctors and nurses to and from their homes.
The soldiers – 3 Rifles from Edinburgh’s Dreghorn Barracks and 2 Scots from Glencorse Barracks, Penicuik – used Army and commercial 4x4s to help medics reach Edinburgh Royal Infirmary and the city’s Western General.
Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson said: ‘Our Armed Forces stand ready to help as Britain is hit by severe weather.
‘Our service personnel are showing great dedication and a spirited sense of duty as they support local authorities and keep people safe.’
The Scottish Government said the Army will ferry around 200 clinical and support staff to and from work, helped by two Police Scotland vehicles and eight from the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service.
Operations and appointments were cancelled nationwide yesterday but nurses, doctors and emergency services rallied to ensure patients were treated.
People were warned not to travel to hospital or even phone NHS 24 unless the problem was serious, amid stretched services and staff unable to get to work.
Volunteers drove some staff in for shifts while others trudged to work on foot after bus and train services were axed.
Some NHS workers even stayed in hospitals using scrubs as pyjamas.
Patients with appointments or who were due to undergo surgery faced major disruption, with cancellations again today.
Health boards warned patients to contact GP practices to check whether or not appointments were going ahead.
NHS Lothian took the ‘difficult decision’ to cancel all routine non-urgent operations and hospital appointments yesterday and today.
NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde scrapped routine operations and outpatient clinics yesterday, while NHS Borders axed all outpatient appointments and non-urgent elective procedures scheduled for yesterday and today.
Most outpatient clinics and non-urgent operations at NHS Forth Valley were also cancelled yesterday. Key clinics, such as for renal dialysis and cancer, went ahead but GPs were ‘experiencing staffing issues and focusing on more urgent appointments and home visits’ the board said.
NHS Fife axed all outpatient clinics and most scheduled operations, with some planned electives due to go ahead today.
Outpatient clinics were also cancelled by NHS Lanarkshire yesterday, with patients warned GP house calls would be ‘virtually impossible in most cases’. Scot- land’s out-of-hours hotline, NHS 24, was affected with half of its staff unable to get to work. Patients were asked to call only if they ‘absolutely need’ help. Police advised people not to travel unless they were emergency workers.
Staff were also offered lifts in 4x4s by members of the public and private companies, while others who could not make it to their usual hospital reported to those closest to their homes.
Anne MacPherson, NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde director of human resources, said: ‘We are greatly impressed and appreciative of the efforts made by our staff to care for patients in the most challenging of circumstances.’
The Scottish Ambulance Service said the weather was ‘a challenge’ but staff were doing ‘an incredible job’.
A spokesman added: ‘The volume of calls we’re receiving has increased but we have taken additional measures to ensure control centres and crews are staffed so we can meet the extra demand.’ Meanwhile, 2,138 schools were shut, affecting 655,000 students. Glasgow City Council said all its schools would be closed again today. Pupils across the country went sledging instead, while many adults struggled to get to work – some on skis. In Inverness-shire, Alice Goodridge took a sledgehammer to the ice on Loch Morlich, near Aviemore, so she could enjoy a swim. The Scottish Government said its ‘main’ buildings were open yesterday but more than 3,000 staff worked ‘remotely’. Very cold winds from Siberia are to continue to cross the North Sea, picking up moisture on the way. An amber ‘be prepared’ warning is in place until this morning for many parts of Scotland. Met Office spokesman Oli Claydon said the pattern will continue into Monday, at least. In areas such as Aviemore, temperatures are set to drop tonight to -11C.
CairnGorm Mountain ski resort said the temperature at the top of the mountain was an Arctic -14C yesterday. But staff at the resort added that when wind chill was taken into account, temperatures felt more like a bonechilling -41C .