Scotland's health secretary given blunt message during meeting with A&E staff at Lanarkshire hospital

dailyrecord.co.uk:

Scotland’s Health Secretary met with A&E staff and management at Wishaw General where he received a “blunt” reminder of the pressure they are currently under.Humza Yousaf’s visit came as it was revealed that the number of people seen within the four-hour time standard set by the Scottish Government had again dropped to a record low in NHS Lanarkshire.

He told Lanarkshire Live : “I’m under no illusion just how pressured the system is. The Lanarkshire Live app is available to download now.

Get all the news from your area – as well as features, entertainment, sport and the latest on Lanarkshire’s recovery from the coronavirus pandemic – straight to your fingertips, 24/7.The free download features the latest breaking news and exclusive stories, and allows you to customise your page to the sections that matter most to you.Head to the App Store and never miss a beat in Lanarkshire - iOS - Android "It’s incumbent on me and the government as a whole to come up with some sort of solution to resolve and mitigate some of those pressures, particularly at a time as we enter winter.”Among those he met was Dr John Harden, deputy national clinical director and clinician at Wishaw General, who told us staff there were "realistic" about the challenges ahead, saying winter is "always hard".However, he had a warning, adding: "But this winter is hard before the winter - we’re expecting it to be tougher."It’s reassuring that the cabinet secretary is taking the time to come and see and hear, warts and all.

The team here have been blunt with him and explained what the pressures and problems in their eyes are."He has listened.“I come in and see my colleagues under significant pressure and the stress is huge."They are trying to do a job they