The Scottish NHS has been given an £18 million cash boost following fears that it may be poorly equipped to deal with a potential surge in patients over the Christmas period with fears that care for the elderly will be the worst affected.
Tackle Bed Blocking
Over £10 million is set to tackle “bed blocking” to ensure that hospitals are not over run during the festive period. The financial aid from the Scottish Government following the announcement that many GPs will close over the Christmas period, with most family doctors being closed over Christmas and New Year. Experts fear that this, along with poor weather will pile extra pressure on the NHS.
Family doctors and GPs have not been obligated to offer care of the Christmas period since 2004 when it was removed from their contracts.
“Robust Plans” in Place
Health chiefs have said that “robust plans” are in place to deal with any potential crisis over the festive period, with the elderly the most likely to be vulnerable over the period. A spokeman for the Government said: “NHS Scotland has robust plans in place for reducing the impact of the Christmas holiday period.
“This includes preparing for the impact on hospital and out-of-hours services, including NHS 24, as well as on primary care in the period immediately afterwards.”
Dr Martin McKechnie, chairman of the College of Emergency Medicine Scotland, said: “We have genuine concerns about the lack of alternative healthcare available to the population over these four day periods.
"The reason for that is that people will turn up at A&E as the only available healthcare to them.”
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