NHS "under the risk of the SNP"

By Flora Irvine-Hall

NHS staff have been feeling overwhelmed and patients have been left on waiting lists due to limited funding (GettyImages)

The NHS is currently "under the risk of the SNP," according to Jackie Baillie, deputy leader of the Scottish Labour party.

This statement comes after a published audit raised concerns about the NHS getting back on track post-pandemic.

Many services funded by the NHS have been delayed, leading to NHS staff feeling overworked and patients being left on long waiting lists.

It was also revealed that staff were now spending more time in the hospital than they were pre-pandemic due to increased ambulance turnaround, resulting from overcrowding and longer waiting times in A&E.

Due to a lot of the staff being overworked, another worry the audit raised was that their exhaustion would mean patients not getting the care they need.

Another pressure that the NHS is facing is enormous staff turnover. The past five years have seen an increase in NHS workers. Still, there have also been more job vaccines being advertised, likely because many of the NHS are from agencies, meaning they will not be in a particular health centre for an extended period.

The audit also raised concerns about the Scottish Government's need for a vision of the NHS's future. The auditors stated that if nothing changes, the affordability of the NHS would be at risk.

In an article from Daily Record, Auditor General Stephen Boyle shared some of his concerns.

"Without change, there is a risk Scotland's NHS will take up an ever-growing chunk of the Scottish government."

In the same article, Boyle explained what the Government needed to do to help with this crisis.

"To deliver effective reform, the Scottish Government needs to lead in developing a clear national strategy for health and social care.

"It should include investment in measures that address the cause of ill health, reducing long-term demand on the NHS. And it should put patients at the centre of future services."

According to the BBC, Neil Gray, the Government's health security, has claimed that he will soon reveal his plans for helping the NHS and that some reforms were already in motion.

Gray said that he was looking into investing more in the NHS and its workforce.

Gray also stated that the NHS services were safe to use despite some public concern.

"Of course, in an organisation of its size, with 160,000 staff, there are going to be pressures, there are going to be elements when mistakes are made, but I am incredibly proud of the work our staff do to provide medical care." He said.

However, despite the Government's commitment to reduce the strain on the NHS, there are still many concerns.

The audit reported that the number of patients on the waiting list last year was 525 654, compared to 319,356 patients in 2019.

Professor Andrew Elder, president of the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh, doubted the SNP's commitment to helping the NHS.

"Reform alone, without increased funding, will not save our NHS."

Dr Sandesh Gulhane, the Scottish Conservative health spokesman, was also very critical about how the SNP have handled the NHS post-pandemic and stated that the "utterly damaging report exposes the monumental failings of the SNP's management of Scotland's NHS".

Another issue the NHS faces post-pandemic is a rise in delayed hospital discharges.

Other concerns were the overpacked emergency wards, patients needing more privacy, and the buildings needing improvements.