Question reference: S5W-29051
- Asked by: Brian Whittle, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
- Date lodged: 14 May 2020
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Current status: Answered by Jeane Freeman on 17 June 2020
Question
To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to provide treatment for people with pre-existing cardiovascular conditions during the COVID-19 lockdown.
Answer
The NHS in Scotland is currently dealing with an unprecedented health situation that has meant that some scheduled, non-essential procedures and care has had to be postponed to ensure other, seriously ill patients can be treated and cared for.
We fully expect patients to be treated in line with their clinical priority. In these unprecedented times, NHS Boards are expected to schedule appointments or advise of alternative arrangements as soon as clinically appropriate. The NHS continues to provide emergency and urgent care for all patients.
Where someone is receiving treatment for a pre-existing cardiovascular conditions, it is important that they take extra care of their overall wellbeing, and attending hospital appointments in a different way is part of this. Clinical teams are working to minimise the time people spend in hospital departments, for example arranging telephone or Near Me video consultations and offering blood tests at a different NHS site.
Individual decisions based on the benefits and risks of treatment may have to be made for people with heart disease. Alternative therapy options involving fewer visits to hospital are being offered to individuals where these are considered clinically appropriate.
Anyone who feels that their condition is deteriorating and they need to be seen sooner than their scheduled appointment should contact their GP or clinician who will be able to provide further advice.
On the 8 June 2020 we published an update on the future direction of shielding policy in Scotland, a link to which can be found here https://www.gov.scot/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-shielding-way-forward-scotland/ . This most recent advice sets out that those who are Shielding should do so until at least 31 July.
On 1 April, the Scottish Government published Coronavirus (COVID-19) tailored advice for those people living with chronic heart disease: https://www.gov.scot/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-tailored-advice-for-those-who-live-with-specific-medical-conditions/ . This information is updated regularly.
For patients with chronic heart failure, more comprehensive information is available on the Scottish Heart Failure Hub website: www.heartfailurehubscotland.co.uk/covid-19/