Yousaf View Sparks Fury

Health Secretary Humza Yousaf has sparked fury after urging Scots to think twice before calling 999 for an ambulance, as he warned the NHS is facing an “extraordinarily difficult winter”.

He said people should consider whether it is “absolutely critical” for them to call for an ambulance as waiting times soar.

Yousaf spoke out after the Daily Record revealed a crisis in the Scottish Ambulance Service – with queues of ambulances forced to wait outside A&E departments.

We also revealed that the average wait for an ambulance had reached six hours, while the number of patients who spend more than the four-hour target time in accident and emergency has hit record highs.