Resilience committee on health pressures

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon chaired another resilience meeting this morning as part of the ongoing efforts to help lead health and social care out of the toughest winter in its history.

This is the fourth time the Scottish Government Resilience Room (SGoRR) has gathered to discuss the scale of the of challenge and find solutions.

The First Minister heard updates on hospital capacity, actions to alleviate delayed discharge, and the rates of respiratory illness. Statistics published this week have shown a continued improvement in A&E performance, although hospital occupancy levels remain high. 

She was joined by the Deputy First Minister, the Health Secretary and other cabinet ministers, along with the Chief Medical Officer and senior representatives from NHS boards, COSLA, Integration Joint Boards and the Scottish Ambulance Service.

The First Minister said:

“It is encouraging to see A&E waiting times are reducing, and long waits in emergency departments dropping, but significant challenges remain. 

“We’re pulling every lever at our disposal to get us through this winter. Above all, I want to thank the incredible efforts of staff right across the health and social care system for their commitment and hard work during this extremely challenging winter.”