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£12 million to health boards for emergency care.

The Scottish Government has released £12 million in additional funding to health boards across Scotland to support non-COVID emergency care.

This immediate action will help put measures in place to reduce waiting times for urgent or emergency treatment, with a focus on boosting staffing levels and available beds.

Health Secretary Humza Yousaf yesterday said:

“We are acutely aware that hospitals are facing significant challenges due to a rise in non-Covid attendances and that some health boards are taking necessary measures to protect urgent and emergency care capacity. This £12 million will support them to do so. We are working closely with those Health Boards experiencing the greatest challenges to ensure the funding delivers the improvements required.

“Our NHS staff continue to work tirelessly to respond to the pandemic whilst providing vital non-Covid treatment and safe patient care. Any reductions to service will be short term to ensure those of most critical need have immediate medical attention. Urgent treatment, including vital cancer treatment will continue during this challenging period.”

Chief Executive of NHS Lothian Calum Campbell yesterday said:

“Hospitals across Scotland are dealing with the pandemic, while seeing an increase in non-covid patients arriving at their doors.

“We are grateful to the Scottish Government for working with us to ensure everyone who needs urgent or emergency care is prioritised – such as vital cancer treatment or accident and emergency care for life-threatening conditions. This funding will be vital in helping to provide extra staffing and bed capacity to further enhance improvements in unscheduled care and support delivery of the NHS Recovery Plan.

“NHS Lothian will use this funding to increase beds in the community, relieving pressures on acute hospitals, and to support staff in treating patients as quickly as possible.”

The public can do their part to help the NHS by considering options closer to home when they need medical attention. Advice is available online at NHS Inform, or they can contact their GP practice or visit their local pharmacy who can help and prescribe treatment. They can also call NHS 24 on 111 if they can’t wait for their GP practice to open, or they think they need emergency treatment which is not life-threatening.

Background

The remobilisation of the NHS is a top priority and the Scottish Government will publish a national recovery plan for the NHS within the first 100 days of this government. The exceptional care that all NHS and social care staff have delivered throughout the pandemic and their efforts on testing and vaccinations are the bedrock on which we will build our recovery.

The Scottish Government has already provided health boards with £380 million to help with pandemic costs, including PPE and the ongoing vaccination programme. NHS Covid-19 funding increased - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)