A senior emergency doctor has issued a stark warning about the state of Scotland’s NHS, saying she is “completely terrified” about the coming winter months as accident and emergency departments already struggle to provide safe levels of care.
Dr Fiona Hunter, vice chair of the Royal College of Emergency Medicine Scotland, told BBC Scotland’s The Sunday Show that some patients are spending up to three days on trolleys designed for a maximum four-hour stay, with A&E units treating people in hospital corridors on a daily basis.
According to BBC News – UK, the emergency medicine specialist warned that excess deaths occur when patients are left languishing on hospital trolleys. She described a “toxic normalisation” of corridor care, with departments routinely “stacked with ambulances outside” and trolleys lining the corridors.
The crisis is unfolding before the winter period when respiratory viruses typically surge. Hunter emphasised that emergency staff are being asked to care for “essentially a ward’s worth of extra patients” while continuing to see everyone who arrives at the front door.
Departments running at 500% capacity
Some emergency departments across the UK are now operating at five times their designed capacity, yet without the additional staff needed to cope with such demand. Hunter said this has led to “really high rates of sickness and burnout among staff”, creating a dangerous cycle before the peak winter season even begins.
The doctor explained that staff want to isolate sick patients but are unable to do so because waiting rooms are “completely stowed out”. She also pointed to delayed discharge as a major factor, with almost 2,000 patients experiencing delays each month across Scotland.
“If we could free up a quarter of those patients then we would have flow to bring our patients through the system,” Hunter said.
Health Secretary Angela Constance acknowledged that the winter ahead would be “difficult” and admitted there is increased demand on NHS services. While she insisted that corridor care was unacceptable and vowed in August to “eradicate” the practice, she offered no immediate solutions beyond reducing avoidable hospital admissions through public messaging and improving data collection around corridor care.
Budget shortfall compounds crisis
Councillor Paul Kelly, speaking for Cosla, the umbrella body for Scottish local authorities, described the situation as a “year-round crisis” and confirmed that health and social care partnerships currently face nearly half a billion pounds in budget shortfalls.
Kelly stressed that investment in social care was essential to address delayed discharge, arguing that councils need resources to support people leaving hospital. He told the programme that “urgent” investment in the workforce was required.
First Minister John Swinney announced plans last month to reduce the number of mainland health boards from eleven to two in an attempt to free up capacity, but major structural reform remains some way off.
What this means for Poles in the UK
While this crisis specifically affects Scotland’s NHS, it reflects wider pressures across the UK health system that may impact Polish residents throughout Britain. If you live in Scotland and need emergency care, be prepared for potentially long waits in A&E departments, particularly during the winter months.
Consider registering with a GP if you have not already done so, as health officials are encouraging people to seek appropriate care rather than defaulting to A&E. For non-emergency health concerns, NHS 24 (dial 111) can provide advice and direct you to the right service. Keep prescription medications well stocked before the winter period to avoid running out during peak demand times.
If you are working in the NHS, particularly in emergency departments or as care staff, be aware that winter rotas may be particularly demanding this year. Ensure you understand your rights around working hours and breaks under UK employment law, even during periods of high pressure. Polish NHS workers considering leaving the profession should be aware that staffing shortages may create retention incentives or additional support in some health boards.
