GP wait times in Inverness cause influx of emergency septic cases

The Inverness ambulance service are experiencing dire waiting times outside of Raigmore Hospital due to a sudden influx of septic cases that are suspected to be linked to excessive GP wait times.

Last week the Scottish Ambulance Service (SAS) dealt with 15,890 unscheduled care incidents, of these 13,833 were emergency incidents.

Of the total unscheduled care incidents, 12,464 received an on scene attendance by SAS crews. Of these attended unscheduled care incidents, 10,737 were emergency incidents.

Paramedic Heather Mackintosh said: “We do see a lot of people that say they tried to get a doctor's appointment, but couldn’t be seen for a fortnight, which is quite a common theme.”

Ambulance technician Amber added: “There is a lot of pressure when people can’t get GP appointments, and I’m not saying it is the GP’s fault, but people don’t want to wait for appointments, or when they’re 14th in the queue just to get through and book an appointment.”

The ambulance service suspects that they deal with at least one septic case a day and suspects that it is due to the sheer volume of people living in Inverness now, putting all health sectors under pressure, including GP surgeries.

Due to this, the people of Inverness aren’t prepared to wait for a doctor’s appointment and prolong their symptoms, subsequently leaving the ambulance service to deal with the aftermath of health neglect.

NHS Highland have been approached for comment.

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