DIY A&E: Scots treat their wounds and make slings over fear of hospital waits

A new poll commissioned by the Liberal Democrats has revealed that people are suffering in pain or treating themselves rather than go to A&E out of fear of waiting times.

The poll reveals the lengths to which people across the UK went if they needed to use A&E in the past two years, but decided not to, over fears of waiting times.

In the past two years, 1 in 5 Scots surveyed have needed to visit A&E but decided not to because they thought it would take too long to be treated.

Across, the UK, among those who needed A&E but did not go due to fear of waiting times, one in ten (11%) made homemade slings for their limbs, and almost one in three said that they either treated wounds themselves (31%) or prescribed themselves medication (32%).

Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Alex Cole-Hamilton said:

“Nobody should ignore medical advice to go to A&E but the fact that many are choosing to take urgent medical care into their own hands shows just how badly the SNP have run our emergency departments.

“There are clearly major issues within our national health service if there are Scots who would rather grin and bear the pain, than try to turn up to an emergency department.

“We need a plan to prevent a winter A&E waiting times crisis. Scottish Liberal Democrats would overhaul the SNP’s failed NHS Recovery Plan, get you fast access to GPs and help people leave hospital on time through a new minimum wage for care workers that is £2 higher.

“We would also launch an inquiry into unnecessary deaths as a result of the emergency care crisis.”