Taking Action on the NHS and Ambulance Crisis
The result of the division on motion S6M-01302, in the name of Jackie Baillie, on taking action on the NHS and ambulance crisis, as amended, is: For 70, Against 51, Abstentions 0.
Motion, as amended, agreed to,
That the Parliament thanks the Scottish Ambulance Service paramedics, technicians, call handlers and other frontline workers who are under significant stress as they cope with the current pressures on the health service; recognises that excessively long waits for an ambulance can lead to worse outcomes for patients, and that the Scottish Government and Scottish Ambulance Service have apologised to people who have experienced long waits; notes that the Scottish Government has previously invested an additional £20 million to increase staff capacity in the ambulance service by almost 300; welcomes that an extra £20 million is now being invested to increase capacity further, including funding military personnel, recruiting additional Hospital Ambulance Liaison Officers, working with NHS boards to create Temporary Admission Wards and aiming to recruit 100 paramedic students to help alleviate the current pressures on ambulance staff, NHS workers and patients; further notes that the steps outlined by the health secretary will help alleviate pressure on the service in the immediate term and looking ahead to the winter; commends military personnel and the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service, which are providing driving support to the ambulance service in order to free up paramedic and technician time; supports the additional investment of £500,000 to improve ambulance service staff welfare, and the ongoing discussions between the board and trade unions to develop a rest break action plan and put it in place as quickly as possible.