Swinney issues A&E warning ahead of ‘exceptionally busy’ festive period

First Minister John Swinney has warned Scots only to go to accident and emergency if they have a “genuine emergency” – warning people that services are expected to be “exceptionally busy” over the festive period.

The First Minister added that health services would “inevitably be under pressure because of the holiday break that’s coming up”.

However, he added that after flu cases falling last week he was hopeful that the “demand on the system because of flu is beginning to flatten off”.

The First Minister spoke out during a visit to NHS 24 and Scottish Ambulance Service (SAS) staff at Cardonald, outside Glasgow, thanking workers for their efforts ahead of the busy Christmas and New Year period.

Noting that demand for NHS care “increases quite substantially over the festive period” Mr Swinney said there were a “number of steps” people can take if they or a loved one become ill.

People are being advised to consult the symptom checkers on the NHS Inform website in the first instance – with people who still need help then advices to call the NHS 24 111 service.

Mr Swinney urged people to follow this advice, saying: “A&E is expected to be exceptionally busy in the coming weeks so only attend if you have a genuine emergency that requires urgent medical treatment.”

His comments came as he stressed he is “extremely grateful” to the “dedicated NHS staff” who will “continue working throughout the festive period to provide support and care for the people of Scotland”.

Michael Dickson, SAS chief executive, said: “Winter is always an exceptionally busy period and as demand on our service increases, we’re asking the public to use our service responsibly by only phoning 999 in a life-threatening emergency.”

He added: “Currently over 50% of our calls are managed without having to take patients to A&E.

“However, for those who do need hospital treatment, system-wide pressures, including lengthy handover times in key areas, are having a direct impact on our ability to get crews back on the road to reach other patients.

“Our fantastic staff are working extremely hard and we continue to prioritise those patients who are most critically ill.

“For those patients who are not critically ill, they may have to wait longer for an ambulance than usual and we thank the public for their patience; we will try to get to them as quickly as we can.”

NHS 24 executive medical director Dr Ron Cook said the service was expecting to see a “significant rise in demand”.

He stated: “With public holidays limiting access to GP and pharmacy services for four consecutive days across both festive weekends, NHS 24 is forecasting a significant rise in demand for our services as other primary care services take a well‑earned break.

“We plan carefully to ensure we have the right staff in place so people can access the right care in the right place.

“Our teams bring a wide range of skills, and every practitioner and clinician will play a vital role in supporting patients and each other to stay well during this busy period.”

Dr Cook added: “We realise it’s not possible to cover every health eventuality, but we encourage everyone to plan ahead if possible. Make sure you have your prescription medicines, have over‑the‑counter remedies available at home, and check in on vulnerable friends or family.

“By preparing now, you can protect your festive time and avoid unnecessary interruptions.”