Government must help ambulance crews over ‘worrying’ waiting times – Lib Dems

The Scottish Liberal Democrats have urged the government to address critical ambulance wait times, citing data obtained via freedom of information laws. The analysis reveals that thousands of patients, including those in high-priority categories, experienced delays of over two hours, with extreme cases lasting up to 33 hours. This highlights severe systemic pressures within the emergency care service. The opposition leader characterized these statistics as deeply concerning, arguing that high-risk individuals should not wait an hour for assistance. He accused the governing party of obstructing inquiries into avoidable deaths and failing to acknowledge the "pressure cooker conditions" faced by staff. The call emphasizes the urgent need for policy recognition rather than assuming staff can indefinitely manage unsustainable workloads. This incident underscores the vital role of open data in holding public services accountable. By leveraging freedom of information requests, citizens and political parties can expose hidden failures in healthcare delivery. Transparency regarding emergency response metrics enables informed debate and demands for structural improvements, ensuring that patient safety remains a central focus for government action.

Source: jerseyeveningpost.com
Published on 2023-07-31