Quarter of NHS24 calls abandoned
Baillie says Yousaf has put lives at risk through lack of action
MORE than a quarter of calls to NHS 24 were abandoned over the winter, new figures have shown.
The section of the health service operates the 111 non-emergency number, which operates as an out-of-hours service.
Health services in Scotland have been overstretched in recent months, with the Scottish Government forced to bring in the military to support ambulance services.
In addition, health boards have urged people to turn to NHS 24 instead of attending overcrowded emergency departments.
Between October 1 and January 16, 163,814 calls to the helpline were abandoned out of a total of 632,637 – some 25.8 per cent – according to data provided to Scottish
Labour under freedom of information legislation.
A similar request submitted by the Scottish Conservatives found 68,119 calls were abandoned in September, more than any of the following four months.
On December 27, one waited two hours and 14 minutes before the call was abandoned.The longest wait for a call to be answered was on January 16, two hours and 21 minutes.
The average waiting time throughout is 18 minutes and 42 seconds.
Scottish Labour deputy leader Jackie Baillie called on the Scottish Government to better support NHS 24. “Throughout the winter, A&E services, NHS 24 and ambulance services have been in crisis but (Health Secretary) Humza Yousaf has looked the other way,” she said.
“This is unacceptable. Lives are being lost now because of the SNP’s failure to support NHS staff.”
Scottish Tory health spokesman Dr Sandesh Gulhane described the number of abandoned calls as “astonishing and deeply concerning”.
A Scottish Government spokesman said: “NHS 24 works hard to ensure calls to its 111 service are answered as quickly and safely as possible, however we recognise during the pandemic, some patients have experienced longer wait times than normal.”