Scotland’s Health Secretary has announced a series of measures to prepare the NHS for winter pressures, including up to £20 million to increase social care capacity and a renewed call for people to get their flu vaccination.
The funding will support health board initiatives to expand social care and provide extra support at A&E front doors, reducing admissions and easing pressure on acute services. The Health Secretary warned of an early and potentially severe flu season, urging eligible groups – particularly children and young people – to get vaccinated to protect vulnerable family members.
Key winter resilience measures include:
- £20m investment to boost social care and reduce hospital admissions.
- Recruitment of over 290 new frontline A\&E staff for the Scottish Ambulance Service, including paramedics and care assistants.
- A £5m upgrade to NHS 24’s call centre system, enabling faster digital transfer of ambulance referrals and cutting delays for patients.
- A directive for health boards to collaborate on digital care planning and optimise orthopaedic elective capacity, ensuring timely treatment.
Scottish Health Secretary Neil Gray commented:
“We know pressure on the system exacerbates over winter and I am determined to ensure that pressure is relieved as much as possible. We have been preparing plans for this winter season throughout the past year with NHS boards and local authorities.
“Our investment of £20 million will be crucial in our efforts to bolster social care capacity, reduce unnecessary hospital admissions, and ensure people receive the right care in the most appropriate setting.
“A key part of our winter response is prevention, and our national flu vaccination programme is well underway. Vaccination is one of the best ways to protect our own health and those around us - with flu cases rising and initial evidence suggesting this may be an early and potentially difficult flu season, I urge all those who are eligible to get vaccinated.
“We have significantly increased Scottish Ambulance Service staffing, and we are investing in capacity in our NHS 24 call centres so that people are getting the right support quickly and when they need it.
“Our dedicated health and social care staff are the cornerstone of our winter response every year – they will continue to work tirelessly in the coming months to provide excellent care, and I thank them for their outstanding efforts.”
Gray also emphasised that these steps are part of a coordinated approach to manage rising demand and maintain patient safety during the challenging winter months.
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