Scottish Ambulance Service to get £20 million boost

Scottish Ambulance Service to get £20 million boost. It is hoped that the new investment will help improve response times, improve staff well-being and also help ease the intense pressure that the service is under at the moment.

Health Secretary Humza Yousaf announced the new measures which will include help from over hundred military personnel, volunteer drivers from the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service and £500,000 to fund staff wellbeing measures. Work will also begin to help create temporary admission wards in hospitals. It is hoped that this will allow patients to be admitted quicker.

Speaking of the new funding Mr Yousaf said: “The global pandemic has created the most challenging crisis in the history of the NHS. Ambulance services around the UK, as well as the wider NHS, are experiencing unprecedented demand – largely because of COVID-19, but also due to a combination of increasingly complex cases, and exceptionally busy emergency departments.

“The Scottish Ambulance Service is the heartbeat of our NHS. It has a unique role in engaging with all parts of the health and social care system across the whole of Scotland – 24 hours of every day. It is vital that we ensure it has the support it needs to perform this crucial role.

“The additional investment I have set out today means that the Scottish Ambulance service’s frontline budget for this year is more than 16% higher than it was last year. The measures we have announced today will begin to address some of these issues, both improving the level of service for the public, and also helping to reduce the pressure on the workforce, who are doing so much to serve the public during these incredibly demanding times.”

Thank you for taking the time to read this article, do remember to come back and check The Euro Weekly News website for all your up-to-date local and international news stories and remember, you can also follow us on Facebook and Instagram.