Additional Winter support confirmed for NHS in Scotland
Register for free to read more of the latest local news. It's easy and will only take a moment.
Addressing Holyrood this afternoon, Health Secretary Humza Yousaf has confirmed funding of at least £8 million for additional care home beds and efforts to boost NHS 24 capacity to help the NHS and social care deal with ongoing extreme winter pressure.
Health and Social Care Partnerships will share £8 million to procure around 300 additional care home beds to help alleviate pressures caused by delayed discharge.
The funding will allow boards to pay 25 per cent over and above the National Care Home rate for beds.
This is in addition to around 600 interim care beds already in operation across the country.
NHS 24 is taking forward plans to recruit around 200 new starts before the end of March. In the run up to Christmas NHS 24 had already recruited over 40 whole time equivalent call operators, call handlers and clinical supervisors.
Guidance has been issued to all Boards making it clear they can take necessary steps to protect critical and life-saving care.
Mr Yousaf said: “This is the most challenging winter the NHS in Scotland has ever faced and the immediate pressure will continue for the coming weeks.
"My thanks to all health and social care staff for their incredible efforts during these exceptionally challenging times.
“We are ensuring all possible actions are being taken to support services, and the additional measures I have outlined today will help relieve some of the extreme pressure Health Boards are facing.
"We know one of the most significant issues our NHS is facing is delayed discharge, that is why I have announced further support to buy additional capacity in the care sector."
Last week's figures showed bed occupancy in Scotland's hospitals at over 95 per cent.
Mr Yousaf said there are more than 1700 people currently in hospital who need not be because care packages simply are not in place.
He said the local government body Cosla has worked with the Scottish government to identify additional interim spaces within care homes and that the scheme to find extra capacity in care homes to help relieve pressure on hospitals is temporary.
He said the government recognises care home beds may not be the first choice but it's about making the best choice available.
He continued: “NHS 24 has a vital role in referring people to appropriate urgent care services outside of hospitals and plans to increase staff numbers over the course of winter, will help the service deal with increases in demand.
“Emergency care will always be there for those who need it, but for many people, the best advice and support might be available on the NHS Inform website or the NHS 24 App, or by calling NHS 24, so I would encourage people to make use of these services as many are already doing.”
