NHS 24 delays ‘putting patients’ lives at risk’

● Callers to health hotline wait for more than an hour ● One in three hang up without getting answer

ACUTELY ill patients who have been told not to attend A&E face soaring waits for potentially life-saving help when they ring Scotland’s key health phone line.

Spiralling hospital pressures have seen health boards begging patients not to attend emergency departments unless their condition is life-threatening.

Instead, anyone seeking medical attention is being urged to phone NHS 24. However, new figures indicate shocking delays for patients who call the 111 hotline.

People are waiting more than half an hour on average for someone to pick up – while one in ten is forced to wait longer than an hour and 12 minutes.

One in three hang up in frustration without talking to a medic.

Last night, Scottish Conservative health spokesman Dr Sandesh Gulhane said: ‘The SNP has failed to fully resource NHS 24 and this is putting patients’ lives at risk.

‘Any delay to patients getting to speak

‘Number of calls abandoned completely is unacceptable’

to someone is deeply concerning and the number of calls that have been abandoned completely is unacceptable.’

New figures in NHS 24 board papers show soaring demand for the 111 helpline, with 190,223 calls during September, the second highest on record for a single month after the peak in March 2020, when the pandemic hit.

Meanwhile, the second quarter of this year saw 550,000 calls in July, August and September, the highest on record.

People waited an average of 31 minutes and 56 seconds for someone to pick up, while one in ten waited longer than one hour and 12 minutes – far beyond the target of three minutes.

One in three calls – 34.2 per cent – were abandoned after 30 seconds, with patients waiting an average of 17 minutes and 25 seconds before hanging up in frustration.

The report said: ‘Demand has been steadily increasing from around 1,200 calls six months ago to 1,700 calls per month.’

Last week, two health boards, NHS Lothian and NHS Ayrshire and Arran, appealed to people not to attend emergency departments unless their situation was lifethreatening, but to call NHS 24 instead.

Scotland’s biggest health board, NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, previously issued a similar call. Yesterday NHS 24 medical director, Dr Laura Ryan, said: ‘As with the rest of the NHS across Scotland, including community-based GP services, Scottish Ambulance Service and emergency care, NHS 24 continues to see exceptionally high demand.

‘These increased levels of demand mean at peak times there are longer than usual waits to access the service. However, we will always answer calls and support people with the most appropriate care to meet their needs. Safety of patients is our priority.’

A Scottish Government spokesman said: ‘As a result of the pandemic, demand on the services which are provided by NHS 24 has increased significantly.

‘We have recently increased funding for the service by over £20 million, and call waiting times and performance continue to improve as a result.

‘NHS 24 is also in the process of opening a new contact centre facility in Dundee, with around 300 new employees, including both clinical and non-clinical staff.’

Latest figures published yesterday show a further 20 lives lost to Covid in Scotland and 3,867 new cases of the disease.