Swinney in apology to patients who have ‘unsatisfactory experience’ in hospital

It comes after a report from the Royal College of Nursing warned of a ‘corridor care crisis’ across the NHS.

John Swinney speaking in front of an NHS Golden Jubilee sign — John Swinney has apologised to patients who has a negative experience in the NHS (PA)

Scotland’s First Minister has apologised to all patients who have had an “unsatisfactory experience” in hospital, as surging flu cases have meant the NHS has faced “unprecedented demand”.

John Swinney promised his “unrelenting focus” is now on making sure “patients get the care they deserve”.

His comments came after a report from the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) said there had been a “devastating collapse in care standards”, with patients “routinely coming to harm” and unable to access basic services.

Pressed on the RCN’s findings during First Minister’s Questions on Thursday, Mr Swinney said: “The first thing I want to do is apologise to any individual who has had an unsatisfactory experience in the care they have received and in the congestion within the hospitals.”

He praised NHS staff for the “unremitting commitment that they give to ensure that the system is able to deliver as best as it can in the face of unprecedented demand”.

The RCN report told how “demoralised” staff have witnessed patients going into cardiac arrest while forced to lay in corridors due to a lack of beds, saying this is part of a “corridor care crisis” in hospitals across the UK.

Its survey of NHS staff included testimony from more than 5,000 nurses in the UK, with 500 of them in Scotland.

It found staff in Scotland have been forced to care for multiple patients in a single corridor, unable to access oxygen, cardiac monitors, suction and other life-saving equipment.

Patients are being left with no access to bathroom facilities or buzzers, the report found, with nurses forced to deliver personal care to incontinent patients with no privacy.

A patient bed in a hospital corridor — Patients are being treated in hospital corridors due to a lack of beds, the RCN’s report found (PA)

Nine in 10 of those surveyed said patient safety is being compromised, the report added.

RCN Scotland director Colin Poolman said the report makes for “distressing reading” and must be a “wake-up call for the Scottish Government”, while Conservative leader Russell Findlay said it “lays bare our broken NHS”.

He told the First Minister at FMQs: “While apologies are welcome and commending staff is also welcome, it is change that is required.

“This report confirms that hospital overcrowding is at dangerous levels.”

Mr Findlay said the problems are linked to “record levels” of delayed discharge, where patients who are well enough to leave have to remain in hospital while they wait for care arrangements to be put in place.

He told MSPs: “Patients expect and deserve dignity and decency from the NHS, but nurses say they cannot provide the treatment that is needed.”

Scottish Conservative leader Russell Findlay said overcrowding in Scotland’s hospitals has reached ‘dangerous levels’ (Jane Barlow/PA)

Describing the situation as “absolutely heartbreaking”, Mr Findlay said nurses are being “let down” while patients “are having to suffer this disgusting and degrading treatment”.

Pressing the First Minister for action, Mr Findlay demanded: “When will this Government bring forward a serious plan to fix Scotland’s NHS?”

Mr Swinney said the pressure on the NHS had grown as a result of the “enormity of the increase in flu cases” Scotland has seen in recent weeks, with hospital admissions for the virus reaching record levels at the end of December 2024.

He said flu cases are now falling, and a review call he chaired on Wednesday night pointed to a “significant improvement in the delivery of health care in emergency situations as a consequence of the reduction in flu cases”.

Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar however claimed the RCN report laid bare the “human cost” of the “incompetence” of both the First Minister and his Health Secretary Neil Gray.

Mr Sarwar said: “The reality is we have a permanent crisis in the NHS on John Swinney’s watch.”

The SNP leader insisted his Government is “focusing, within the resources available to us, on maximising the effectiveness of patient care on individuals”.

He added that while in power, the SNP had increased NHS staffing levels, consultant numbers and the capacity of the NHS 24 helpline.

Mr Swinney added: “The Government is prioritising the National Health Service by ensuring that we’re investing the largest sum of money ever in the National Health Service and I look forward to the Government’s Budget passing to enable us to secure that investment for the people of this country.”