THE Scottish Ambulance Service has said it will be “accelerating” recruitment of staff to boost capacity amid current pressures on the system. A total of 356 front line paramedics, technicians and ambulance care assistants will join the service by March.
The ambulance service has been under pressure in recent months and long waits for ambulances prompted the Scottish Government to call in the help of both the Army and firefighters to drive some non-emergency vehicles.
Between October and November, 179 new staff will have joined the Scottish Ambulance Service and a further 177 will be recruited by March 2022.
Scottish Ambulance Service chief executive Pauline Howie said: “We know that this is one of the most significant periods of pressure on the NHS since its inception. All parts of the system are under pressure and it’s been tough out there for our staff and patients. Everyone is working so hard to help patients and our staff continue to do a fantastic job.
“We know that there will be little let up in those pressures over the next few months so we are accelerating our efforts to increase capacity and do everything we can to support staff. These new staff coming in will be a real boost.
“We continue to prioritise those patients who are most critically ill and staff continue to go above and beyond to save lives, with survival figures for patients in our most acute response category at their highest ever level.
“It is a real testament to their ability to deliver despite the wider pressures upon the system. For those lower acuity patients who do have to wait longer for an ambulance, we are trying to get to you as quickly as we can.”
The new intake follows the recruitment and training of 210 staff over the last six months.
The Scottish Ambulance Service said new figures show there has been a rise in 30-day survival for patients within its most seriously ill response category, with latest data showing the number of people surviving is at its highest ever level.
It said that from January to May 2021, the 30-day survival data steadily rose month on month to a high of 50.4% of people in this category.
Howie said the service is taking a range of actions to reduce waits, including working closely with NHS boards to address turnaround times and boosting staffing numbers through accelerated recruitment.
She added: “As we move into the winter period, we would ask the public to continue to use 999 wisely. If people have serious health concerns or symptoms, call 999. If your condition isn’t life-threatening, you should call NHS24 on 111.”
Meanwhile, female detainees were forced to mix with men with a history of sexual violence against women in an immigration centre due to Covid restrictions, a report has found.
Concerns have been raised about Dungavel Immigration Removal Centre in Lanarkshire, after inspectors found women had to be escorted around the site to make sure they were safe from some of the male detainees.
The report said before the pandemic, these men were held in a separate unit with controlled access to common parts of the centre.
But due to Covid “infection control arrangements”, this was no longer considered possible and women had to be accompanied on site.
The report said the centre’s safer detention policy had improved with regards to care of women compared to the last inspection in 2018.
But the most recent report showed the matter was “not discussed substantively”, other than stating that the centre was holding men who presented a risk to women, and that the monthly safer detention meeting was “poorly attended”.
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here