NHS faces most difficult winter

NHS faces most difficult winter in Scotland.
Over the next few weeks, the NHS will be facing one of the most difficult times it has “ever faced in its 73 year existence.”
Scotland is launching remote monitoring tools to help free up hospital beds and treat patients with Covid safely at home. Several measures are being put in place including funding to the tune of £500,000 which will fund 25,000 remote monitoring kits and a dedicated team to help identify patients that need to receive antiviral treatments as soon as possible. The new measures hope to free up acute beds as the NHS faces a tough winter
Health Secretary Humza Yousaf commented: “The next few weeks will probably be amongst the most difficult our NHS has ever faced in its 73 year existence. We are facing pressure on a number of fronts.
“Modelling suggests that infections and associated staff absences due to the coronavirus could peak by mid-January. Treating more people who previously may have been admitted to hospital at home with anti-virals and suitable support is essential to free up capacity in our hospitals.
“We know Discharge Without Delay has made a significant impact in some parts of the country and rolling it out to all health boards will make a major difference. Local contingency plans are in place to focus on the redeployment of available clinical and support services staff to essential services.”
Yousaf went on to add: “All of this  builds on work already underway as part of our £300 million investment in health and care services as part of winter preparations, to help maximise capacity, support the wellbeing of our fantastic health and care staff, support flow through the system and improve outcomes.”
According to the government in Scotland: “COVID admissions are rising at a rate 45% faster than they did last winter, and this combined with existing winter pressures is creating significant demand on hospitals. A large spike in staff absence relating to COVID is also significantly impacting NHS service provision.”

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