– Scottish Parliament written question – answered at on 20 January 2003.
Question S1W-32932
To ask the Scottish Executive what additional work the closure of the accident and emergency services at the old Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh will create for the Scottish Ambulance Service and what additional resources will be provided to deal with any such additional work.
The Lothian University Hospitals Trust and the Scottish Ambulance Service have been working closely together to ensure (i) that there is a smooth transition for both emergency and non-emergency ambulance services and (ii) that the impact of the re-location of services to Little France is matched by increased resources should that be necessary to maintain the quality of patient care.
The Scottish Ambulance Service does not know what additional work will be created for it by this re-location of services. Its planning assumptions are that there will be an increase to the time spent by ambulances in dealing with some accident and emergencies and that there will be an increase in the demand on the service from some patients who may have previously "self-presented" at the old Royal Infirmary. The service will increase its accident and emergency resources in Edinburgh from 1 May 2003 - the date of the transfer of the accident and emergency services to the new location. The performance of the service in the Lothians and elsewhere in Scotland shall continue to be monitored by the service and the Executive.
Yes1 person thinks so
No0 people think not
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