Glasgow's SEC to be turned into hospital and cancer screening halted as Covid 19 cases rise
47 people have now died in Scotland after testing positive for coronavirus
Last updated 30th Mar 2020
The Scottish Events Campus in Glasgow will be turned into a field hospital and cancer screening programmes will be paused to help the NHS respond to the coronavirus crisis.
Nicola Sturgeon revealed the moves as the number of Covid-19 deaths in the country rose to 47, an increase of six on Sunday's figure.
There are now 108 people in intensive care who either have the virus or are suspected to have it, an increase of 13 in the past 24 hours.
The number of positive coronavirus cases has risen to 1,563 - up 179 from Sunday's total.
Chief medical officer Dr Catherine Calderwood said the actual number of Scots with the disease is now estimated at more than 100,000.
Ms Sturgeon said while the temporary hospital might not be needed as the NHS works to increase its capacity, she said it makes sense to act now.
It could be up and running within two weeks, providing 300 extra beds initially, with this potentially increasing to 1,000.
There will be a temporary suspension of breast, bowel and cervical cancer screening programmes, she added.
The First Minister said the decision “was not taken lightly” and was based on recommendations from the chief medical officer and NHS National Services Scotland.
She also said the move would “maximise the ability of the NHS to cope in the coming weeks”.
Dr Calderwood said screening for pregnant women and for newborn babies would continue as normal.
Sarah Woolnough, Cancer Research UK’s executive director of policy and information, said:
"The Scottish Government and the NHS in Scotland has to make difficult decisions in this time of crisis and the decision to suspend cancer screening programmes will not have been one they took lightly.
"It means that the NHS staff who help run screening programmes can be there to support the vital services needed during this time.
"Cancer screening services are essential in the early diagnosis of cancer and we trust they will be restored as a priority once the health service is capable of doing so.
"If people have any concerning symptoms while the screening programmes are paused, we encourage them to speak to a health professional.
"If anyone affected by cancer is worried about the impact of COVID-19, there is more information on our website."
Tom Berry, Head of Scotland at Breast Cancer Now, the research and care charity, said:
"The difficult decision to suspend breast screening in Scotland in light of the coronavirus outbreak may cause significant concern for many women and we now need to do all we can to support them through the coming months.
"This is not a decision that will have been taken lightly, but it is a necessary step in both limiting the risk of infection for women of screening age and helping free up emergency resource for the NHS to respond to the crisis.
"Until this vital service is able to resume, we would encourage women not to be alarmed but to check their breasts regularly, and to report any unusual changes to their GP."
Speaking at a briefing at the Scottish Government's headquarters in Edinburgh, the First Minister spoke about efforts to "prepare the NHS for the incredibly difficult weeks that lie ahead."
She also revealed 10,000 people had responded to the Scotland Cares volunteering campaign, which was launched earlier on Monday, within the first four hours.
This includes about 5,000 former medical and care workers, plus medical students who have put themselves forward to work for either the health or care services.
Hear all the latest news from across the North of Scotland on MFR. Listen on FM, via our Rayo app, DAB, or smart speaker.