Humza Yousaf announces funding for extra care beds to ease pressure on NHS in Scotland

dailyrecord.co.uk:

Embattled Health Secretary Humza Yousaf has announced extra social care funding in a desperate bid to free up hospital beds.Yousaf claimed 300 care beds would be purchased to address the “unprecedented” crisis afflicting the health service.But the extra cash covers around 17 per cent of the beds currently occupied by patients who are ready to leave.Labour MSP Jackie Baillie hit out: "The SNP are keen to tell us that this winter the NHS is under unprecedented pressure.

They cite Covid, flu and strep A."But it’s not unprecedented – it was predictable and in fact fewer patients are being seen in A&E than before the pandemic.

What is unprecedented is this government’s failure."The First Minister said this week that hospitals are close to full capacity amid huge pressures in every part of the service.Patients who are ready to leave hospital are not being discharged due to a lack of social care packages.In a statement to MSPs, Yousaf said: "This is the single most challenging winter that the NHS in Scotland has ever faced.

Our NHS, its committed workforce, is facing a perfect storm of intense pressures which are leading to extreme difficulty, disruption and delays right across the service."The Health Secretary, who has faced calls to quit, announced £8m for “interim” social care beds that would be time-limited.Health and Social Care Partnerships will share the cash to procure the beds, with the funding allowing boards to pay 25% over and above the care home rate.