NHS at Christmas

Health Secretary Shona Robison has thanked some of the behind-the-scenes NHS workers who keep the health service running over the festive period.

She visited staff at NHS 24 and the Scottish Ambulance Service contact centre in South Queensferry to thank them for their hard work throughout the year, and particularly over Christmas and New Year.

Ms Robison said:

“We all know about the dedication of our front line health workers – the health professionals in our hospitals, GP surgeries, health centres and ambulances who are the public face of the NHS.

“But behind the scenes is an army of skilled professionals, without whom the health service wouldn’t be able to function. They will be working around the clock throughout Christmas and New Year to make sure that people can continue to access essential services.

“I was delighted to be able to visit the offices of NHS 24 and the Scottish Ambulance Service to thank the staff for their efforts. They are playing a vital role in responding to the needs of people across Scotland.

“When someone falls ill over the festive period they may be able to self-manage their condition. The recently redesigned NHS Inform website provides a wide range of health information and advice, which also now includes a self-help guide to enable people to understand their symptoms and make a choice about how they deal with it.

“However, NHS 24 and the SAS provide an invaluable resource which can be life-saving when a situation cannot wait until the GP surgery re-opens.

“It was valuable to see how NHS 24 and SAS work together closely, sharing information and transferring calls speedily when appropriate, and to hear more about their plans for developing a more joined-up triage system.

“I’m also glad to have had the opportunity to see SAS’s new response model in operation and hear directly from staff how they are finding it. I am very hopeful that this model will save more lives and improve patient care.”

Background:

For health information phone NHS Inform on 0800 224488 or visit nhsinform.scot