THE SCOTTISH Conservatives have demanded that Health Secretary Humza Yousaf updates MSPs on the state of the NHS when Holyrood is recalled on Tuesday.
The Parliament will be recalled next week for Nicola Sturgeon to give an update on progress ahead of the indicative dates for the final easing of lockdown.
On July 19, Scotland is set to move to level 0 while the country is earmarked to move ‘beyond level 0’ on August 9. But yesterday, the First Minister warned that the timetable is “not set in stone” as cases sure across Scotland.
READ MORE: Covid: Nicola Sturgeon says lockdown ending dates 'not set in stone' as cases rise
Opposition MSPs also want Mr Yousaf to reassure Holyrood over the ability of the NHS to cope with a rise in cases.
NHS Highland has been forced to cancel all non-elective surgery at Raigmore Hospital in Inverness, while NHS Grampian has also declared a ‘Code Black’ status at both Aberdeen Royal Infirmary and Dr Gray’s Hospital in Elgin.
Officials at NHS Lanarkshire have also said they have reached “breaking point” and are considering scaling back non-urgent procedures.
More than 200,000 planned operations have been cancelled or delayed as a result of the pandemic, statistics published by Public Health Scotland this week revealed.
READ MORE: Covid Scotland: Test and Protect no longer meeting WHO targets amid cases surge
Shadow health secretary, Annie Wells, said Parliamentary time must also be given to allow the Health Secretary to outline how the Scottish Government will boost support being given to NHS boards, particularly in the north of Scotland.
Ms Wells said: “It is hugely concerning to see three of Scotland’s NHS boards effectively reach breaking point.
“While Parliament is rightly being recalled so that a Covid update is delivered in Holyrood first, time must also be found for the SNP’s Health Secretary to deliver an urgent statement on the critical issues in our health service.
“Our heroic frontline health service staff are under increasing pressure, particularly in the north of Scotland. Humza Yousaf must address this situation and outline a clear plan as to how the SNP will give increased support to health boards, especially those under significant strain.
“The surge in Covid cases is having a huge impact on staffing levels in our health service. SNP ministers need to explore all ways to ensure more staff having to self-isolate will not continue to mean more and more procedures and treatments cannot be carried out.”
She added: “SNP ministers have taken their eye off the ball in tackling the pandemic. Cases have surged, Test and Protect is completely overwhelmed and our vaccination programme has slowed down.
“That is now having a major impact on other services in our NHS and Humza Yousaf must now deliver a statement at the earliest opportunity to Parliament and allow MSPs to scrutinise him on his plans to support staff and health boards.”
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