OPPOSITION MSPs accused the Scottish government today of taking its eye off the ball when it comes to the ambulance crisis after a senior surgeon warned that the majority of problems in hospitals were not caused by coronavirus.

Professor Michael Griffin, president of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh, warned that Scotland must address “a real workforce problem in the NHS and in social care,” which is causing a “vicious circle” impacting all parts of the health service.

He told BBC Radio Scotland that increasing numbers of Covid cases and infected patients in hospitals are adding to the “very, very complex problem” facing the health service, including under-pressure paramedics. 

“It’s not just due to Covid,” Prof Griffin said, adding that the pandemic is responsible for “probably 30-40 per cent of the issues that we’re seeing.”

Scottish Labour deputy leader Jackie Baillie pointed out that the ambulance service and NHS are already in crisis and there is still the winter to come.

She said: “My criticism of the government is I think it has taken its eye off the ball. It should have acted earlier, because long delays were occurring and reported in newspapers in late June.”

Her criticism follows First Minister Nicola Sturgeon being forced to apologise for the current state of the ambulance service as she confirmed that the army will be drafted in to support workers. 

She said: “But I do think anybody who suggests that the pandemic is not a significant contributory factor to what our health service is dealing with right now is stretching credibility.”

Pauline Howie of the Scottish Ambulance Service told BBC Scotland that the pressure on services was the result of increasing Covid-19 and non-Covid demand caused by illnesses and injuries, warning that winter is “going to be extremely challenging.”