CROSSHOUSE hospital has reached a ‘crisis point’ with staff left in tears over the ‘warzone’ conditions.

The cash-strapped Ayrshire hospital is now working on putting a contingency measure in place to cope with the ‘high demands’.

One dad raised concerns after witnessing the chaos claiming ‘people in our community could die tonight’ due to a lack of Ambulances available to respond and ‘without a doubt patient care will suffer within the hospital due to lack of staff’.

Andi McCannio was admitted for a lung condition and fears staff are being stretched beyond breaking point and the results this will have on patients.

Cumnock Chronicle:

The 40-year-old claims he saw nurses crying in the car park from stress and spoke to ambulance workers who worked 17.5 hour shifts to keep up calls.

Andi said:  “Over the last few days I’ve seen the hospital get gradually busy. 

“Last night it reached unprecedented levels. I’m worried for the patients and the staff.

“A short distance away at A&E I’m being told it’s like a Warzone. Elderly and very ill patients lying on trolleys waiting to be seen my overstretched staff.

Cumnock Chronicle:

“I saw a nurse in tears in the car park, totally stressed out her box following her shift.

“This hospital is in crisis tonight. It’s struggling to cope yet 90 or so beds are left closed due to ward closures as a result of cuts to Ayrshire & Arrans funding.”

The Crosshouse patient was particularly worried about emergency services response time in Ayrshire.

It comes after a 79-year-old woman waited 17 hours for an ambulance yesterday that her doctor called in West Kilbride.

Andi added: “My main concern is the amount of Ambulance Resource that is tied up while waiting on handing over patients. 

“They can wait up to three hours. 

“Six ambulances and their crews were off the road last night for a substantial period of time.”

“I was speaking to an Ambulance Crew who are based in Girvan. 

“They responded to an emergency call in Cumnock.The crew have worked 17.5hrs today.

“People in our community could die tonight due to lack of Ambulances available to respond and without a doubt patient care will suffer within the hospital due to lack of staff.

Cumnock Chronicle:

“Staff are being overwhelmed by the demands this winter crisis is bringing. It’s not fair on them. 

“They need supported and treated with the respect and understanding they deserve.

“From patients and management. Management ultimately need additional funding. 

“Having wards closed is not fair on managers.

“Something needs to get done and fast.”

A spokesperson for NHS Ayrshire & Arran said: “We apologise to our patients and their families who are having to wait longer than we would like during this time due to the high demand for unscheduled care services. 

“This extremely high demand has meant extended delays for patients while they wait for transfer to their care specialty.

“We are doing everything possible to alleviate this situation and ensure that patients are cared for appropriately while they are not in the location we wish them to be.

“Each patient attending our Emergency Departments (ED) or Combined Assessment Unit is triaged on arrival and undergoes an assessment by the clinical team which then enables them to receive treatment appropriate to their condition.

Cumnock Chronicle:

“Unfortunately there have been occasions where there have been delays for our ambulance crews. We are working closely with Scottish Ambulance Service to minimise these delays.

“We are working closely with our health and social care partners to put contingency measures in place, which includes opening up additional beds, bringing in additional staff and working hard to get patients home as soon as they are well enough with appropriate support. 

“We acknowledge the hard work of our health and care teams who are working tirelessly to support those who need care and treatment.

Cumnock Chronicle:

“NHS Ayrshire & Arran has received monies to support management of winter pressures and this is being used to provide additional care at home, additional staff in our acute hospitals and a range of other resources such as increased Pharmacy support.”

NHS Ayrshire & Arran is clear that whilst these pressures in our system and departments require a specific focussed response it does not fall within the criteria for a Major Incident under ‘The Civil Contingencies Act 2004 (Contingency Planning) (Scotland) Regulations 2005’.