Patients being treated outside hospitals in Scotland as services 'under extreme pressure'

LONDON

Patients in Scotland reportedly have been treated outside hospitals as authorities warned that all services are "under extreme pressure" due to the coronavirus and flu, compounded by higher-than-normal levels of staff sickness, according to reports.

John-Paul Loughrey, vice president of the Royal College of Emergency Medicine Scotland, said that there have been many "clinical incidents and near misses" as patients are forced to wait.

"I am aware of colleagues who have three or four incidents to record but they cannot sit down recording when patients have been queueing six to seven hours to be seen. People are frightened to come to work now."

Media reports said patients have to wait in corridors for up to 40 hours on trolleys as emergency services have hit full capacity.

It has been reported that doctors have described taking patients outside for private discussions.

National Health Service (NHS) Borders, one of 14 health boards within NHS Scotland, put out an urgent call for staff, saying "as you are aware, all of our services are under extreme pressure going into the New Year weekend. This is being compounded by higher than normal staff sickness levels due to Covid and Flu.

"We are therefore asking any staff, and particularly those who are not currently rostered to work over the 4 day weekend, to consider what extra time, day or night, you would be able to cover."