'Relentless' pressure on NHS Lanarkshire hospitals

People in Clydesdale are being asked to consider other options, other than A&E, if their ailment is not an emergency.

NHS Lanarkshire’s executive medical director, Dr Jane Burns, urged people not to attend A&E unless their condition is “urgent or life-threatening” as the number of Covid patients in hospitals continues to rise.

She said: “There are a number of reasons for the current relentless pressures on Lanarkshire hospitals but primarily it is the number of patients requiring treatment, both with and without Covid.

“Our three acute hospital sites are beyond full with capacity regularly over 100 per cent. This has been the case for a number of weeks and the situation is not easing; in fact this week hospitals across Scotland including Lanarkshire have seen a record number of Covid patients.

“Unfortunately, this is resulting in many patients in our emergency departments waiting well in excess of our target of four hours for a condition that could have been treated by another healthcare service. It is also putting pressure of how quickly we can admit patients who require emergency care.

“The rising Covid number is also having a severe knock-on effect to our staff. We have high absences due to Covid and self-isolation which is resulting in challenges across all our services and staff are struggling to cope.

“We also have wards closed across our sites due to Covid which again reduces beds available to patients and creates additional pressures.

“The safety of our patients and staff is our top priority and we are taking all necessary steps to ensure safe and effective patient care.

“However, we also understand that when someone has an illness or minor injury they want help as soon as possible and the emergency department is open 24 hours seven days a week but there are alternatives.

“If someone’s condition is not critical or life-threatening we want people to think ‘where I can still be treated with the same level of care’.”

Minor injuries units and NHS 24 on 111 are options.

Dr Burns added: “If it is not a not a critical emergency or life-threatening and people can wait they can also access their local GP or pharmacy or other community service.”