Local MSP Rachael Hamilton is calling on the SNP to increase the number of hospital beds available in the Borders.
Across Scotland, the average number of acute beds available in hospitals plummeted by 335 over the last year. The number of beds has now fallen by 954 since 2015/16 and by over 1350 since 2011/12.
In the Borders, there is now an average of 19 beds fewer than last year, 35 less than five years ago, and 51 less than there were in 2011/2012.
Ms Hamilton says the pandemic has exposed the SNP Government’s shortcomings in managing the NHS; presiding over health boards that have not been able to adequately prepare to cope with the strain of a pandemic.
She has also pointed out that Nicola Sturgeon has continued to dodge questions on the number of extra beds that Scotland’s hospitals need, and her government’s failure to deliver them.
In August, 62 patients had to wait over 20 hours to be seen in A&E at the Borders General Hospital. The primary reason for waiting times to reach that point were a lack of beds.
Commenting, Scottish Conservative and Unionist MSP for Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire Rachael Hamilton said:
“Under the SNP, our local Borders hospital is short of beds.
“Health Secretary Humza Yousaf needs to accept responsibility because health issues are in the hands of his Government. It is their mishandling of the NHS that is putting lives at risk through bed shortages.
“Nicola Sturgeon is continuing to dodge questions on how many beds are needed and how many have actually been delivered.
“The SNP Government have been very slow to react, and it has taken the NHS reaching breaking point for them to call in help from the British armed forces. We welcome that significant intervention”.