Glasgow’s Royal Hospital for Children has appealed to parents not to use its' A+E department unless in emergency or life-threatening situations following a week where attendance hit the highest level seen in over 7 years.
Last week, attendance was 25% higher than the year’s average, leading to a drop in the number of people seen within the 4-hour target time – with more than 200 children having to wait more than 4 hours.
NHS bosses have advised parents to use alternative services including local pharmacies, GPs, NHS24, NHS Inform and 111 where possible to reduce the number of children presenting at the hospital.
Labour’s Pam Duncan-Glancy has warned that the current NHS crisis is putting lives at risk.
Commenting, the Scottish Labour MSP said:
“A + E departments across the country are in crisis, leaving NHS staff and patients facing incredibly challenging conditions, with little reassurance that things will improve.
“The mismanagement of this crisis has meant hardworking staff are being pushed to breaking point, they are demoralised. Hospitals are overwhelmed and now patients are being told to look for alternative options – of which there are fewer by the day.
“I’m gravely concerned that appealing to people to stay away from A+E unless in an emergency could lead to some of my constituents in Rutherglen not getting the treatment and care that they need, putting lives at risk.
“We have the worst health secretary in the history of devolution, not only is he failing to act, but he’s also making the situation worse. Under the SNP’s watch the health service is now under the very real threat of privatisation. It’s time for Nicola Sturgeon to sack her health secretary and reverse the damage being inflicted on the beloved NHS.”
ENDS
*Issued as a Press Release on Thursday 24th November 2022
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