SNP slammed over NHS patients left in ‘agony’

BBC audience member savages Sturgeon's MP over NHS

We use your sign-up to provide content in ways you’ve consented to and to improve our understanding of you. This may include adverts from us and 3rd parties based on our understanding. You can unsubscribe at any time. More info

The SNP has been criticised over NHS patients who have been left in “agony”. One 78-year-old Scotsman said the Government should “hang your heads in shame” after his wife underwent a “distressing” experience because of the country’s health service.

Scottish Tory leader Douglas Ross today told the First Minister of a story sent to him by a septuagenarian about the pain suffered by his wife when trying to get to the hospital.

He said this had also already been sent directly to Ms Sturgeon via email.

A 78-year-old man explained how, after his 73-year-old wife fell in the garden and broke her hip, the Scottish NHS said this did not constitute a priority to receive an ambulance, leaving her to wait in “agony”.

After four hours of waiting for an ambulance, the couple decided it would be best to get take a taxi to receive care – though they needed help from neighbours to ensure this could happen.

Mr Ross quoted the email in which the man said “she endured even more severe pain getting into the taxi but by this time we were getting desperate”.

The man added that the Scottish Government should “hand your heads in shame”.

The Scottish Tory leader argued that “he’s right, isn’t he?”.

Commenting in a post on Twitter, he added: “The SNP are presiding over unacceptable waiting times in Scotland’s NHS and it is costing people’s lives.”

READ MORE: Climate activists slammed as ‘cult’ after woman sets fire to herself

Express.co.uk has approached the SNP for comment.

Scottish accident and emergency waiting times were earlier this year reported to be the worst on record.

The Government’s target is for 95 percent of patients to wait no longer than four hours from admission before being seen by a nurse or doctor.

But July figures showed that just under 65 percent of people were seen within this four-hour window.

DON’T MISS:
Hated Brexit deal ‘could shatter UK’ [OPINION]
Farage blasts those blaming conflict in Ukraine for inflation [NEWS]
Britons blast Tories and Labour who are ‘as bad as each other’ [OPINION]

Scottish opposition parties accused Ms Sturgeon’s Government of being too distracted by taking Scotland out for he UK to deal with the issue at hand.

Jackie Baillie, Scottish Labour Health Spokeswoman, said at the time these figures were released: “Long waits in A&E used to be a sign that there were problems and pressures elsewhere in the NHS system, but the SNP have ignored the warnings and now our NHS is in perpetual crisis with thousands of lives being put in risk at A&E departments on a weekly basis…

“This distracted SNP government is putting lives at risk and threatening the very existence of our NHS.”

Alex Cole-Hamilton, Scottish Lib Dem leader added that “despite this ever-deepening crisis… [the SNP] have decided now is the time to shift focus to an unwanted independence referendum”.

The SNP was also last month accused of “grossly misleading” patients over waiting times for surgery on its website.

One surgeon told the Times: “On the existing website, the median waits for those admitted for treatment between April and June appear reasonable.

“It ignores people waiting in pain for eight months in the Lothians.

“NHS Inform has a duty to provide accurate, meaningful and understandable information for members of the public about how long they have to wait. It leads to unnecessary strife when the true reality is explained [to patients].”

Source: Read Full Article