The chief of the Scottish Ambulance Service says he is “profoundly concerned” by images of queues outside Aberdeen Royal Infirmary at the weekend – and warned pressure will continue over Christmas.
As many as 17 ambulances were stationed outside the city’s flagship hospital as pressures continue to mount on the health service.
The queues came just a week after an 86-year-old patient in Aberdeen was forced to wait more than 15 hours for an ambulance.
NHS Grampian apologised to people affected by delays after the P&J revealed the extent of queues outside accident and emergency on Saturday night.
However, Michael Dickson, chief executive of the Scottish Ambulance Service, revealed his shock in parliament on Tuesday.
His concerns include:
- The impact on rural communities around the city.
- “Massive frustration” among crews caring for patients in back of ambulances.
- Blockages in hospitals across Scotland due to number of delayed discharges.
Mr Dickson told health committee members in Holyrood that Aberdeenshire is unable to call across for support in the way that health boards in Glasgow and Edinburgh can.
The ambulance chief said: “My concern is about the rural communities that surround Aberdeen and wider Aberdeenshire.”
The Scottish Ambulance Service is working with NHS Grampian to help people reach “alternative models of care”.
‘Massive frustration’
But he admitted there is a “massive” frustration among ambulance crews that are caring for patients in the back of ambulances when they “want to be out on the roads”.
Mr Dickson said: “They want to be picking up patients who are in dire need of help and care and they’re unable to do that because they’re parked for often hours outside accident and emergency departments.”
He continued: “We have to recognise that 1,800 patients are currently sat in the wrong beds for their care needs. But the fact is it’s about the flow through the system.”
On whether problems will get worse over Christmas, Mr Dickson said: “I don’t think it’s going to suddenly miraculously transform and we won’t have any waits.
“We expect that there will always be demands on our service and there will be delays. And we see that across Scotland.
“But the profound challenge we see at NHS Grampian is of significant to myself and the rest of the board and each and every single crew member is working really hard across Aberdeenshire.”
‘Shocking’
North East regional MSP Tess White, who raised the issue with Mr Dickson, described the scenes outside the hospital as “shocking”.
She added: “They should not be viewed as acceptable or normal over the winter months.”
An NHS Grampian spokeswoman apologised to anyone who has been impacted by the queues but said hospitals continue to face “sustained pressures”.
She added: “This can unfortunately lead to ambulances having to wait at the front door, as we are unable to admit more patients to the department.
“Across Friday and Saturday, 299 patients were treated at the Emergency Department – 238 of these attendances were classed as majors.
“We are working very closely with our colleagues in the Scottish Ambulance Service to improve and redesign the transfer of people from their care to ours.
“This is in line with work across NHS Scotland on this very important topic. In addition we are increasing the number of beds available at ARI, in order to ease flow through the hospital.
“During periods of intense pressure, cases are triaged as normal with those facing life-threatening situations – such as heart attacks or strokes – continuing to be admitted rapidly for life-saving treatment as an absolute priority.”
‘Not unique to Scotland’
A Scottish Government spokeswoman said delays for the handover of patients at emergency departments are “not unique to Scotland with similar pressures being felt throughout the UK”.
She added: “NHS Grampian are in the process of opening 40 new acute beds to ease capacity pressures, 18 of these are due to be operational this week with another 14 expected to open by mid-January.
“It is anticipated that this will improve patient flow through ARI and reduce ambulance stacking.”
Conversation