By Lucy Ashton
New figures published by Scottish Ambulance reveal that the average time ambulances spend waiting to offload patients at accident-and-emergency (A&E) departments in Scotland continued to increase in the past month, leading Scottish Liberal Democrat leader and health spokesperson to urgently call for more funds for the ambulance service.
The average turnaround time at hospital has increased from 23 minutes in 2014 to 37 minutes, 38 seconds this week. In the past month, the average waiting time oscillated between 38 and 39 minutes.
The data highlighted that the “super hospital” Queen Elizabeth Hospital had an alarming 52 minute median turn around.
Mr Cole-Hamilton said: “These new statistics paint a very grim picture of the situation and cannot be simply blamed on the pandemic.
“Over the years, as well as in the past month, we saw the average turnaround time increasing. In cases where mere seconds can make a difference, this is not acceptable.
“The Health Secretary should admit that he had previously underestimated the scale of the challenge and that the present NHS recovery plan is not up to scratch.
“Staff are at their wits end coping not just with the pandemic but with the consequences of 14 years of SNP failure.
“The government must ensure that if anyone is, unfortunately, in need of an ambulance because of a code red or purple, help will arrive fast, and the patient won’t have to wait too long before being admitted. Swift action might be the difference between life and death.”
This did not happen overnight.
Yes Covid has imposed pressures but it has expose the underlying weakness of an underfunded and under resourced NHS.
But we know that and prefer to spend our money on air craft carriers, frigates, and nuclear submarines to allow us to display lethal force around the globe.
So let’s not moan. We’re all grown ups.
Topics which politicians refuse to discuss include nuclear subs, abortion, assisted suicide, and fish. In Dumbarton we also have Freedom of the Press and anything which the SNP feel shows them up in a bad light. Which is everything they touch. Tell me, where did Nicola get the £100 million for the hospitality industry from before Boris finally coughed up? There wasn’t a spare £ in Holyrood after the December 9 Scottish Budget. Out and about delivering cards today, I spoke with people who have absolutely no time for Sturgeon and even less for McColl. Our resolution in 2022 should be to rid ourselves of all these chancers.