Determined efforts are being made to try and free up beds in Ayrshire and Arran over the next few weeks as concerns grow over the “immense pressure” facing the health and social care system.

However the waiting list in North Ayrshire is at a record low.

This was revealed by councillor Margaret Johnson, North Ayrshire Council’s Cabinet Member for Health and Social Care after SNP colleague Davina McTiernan asked how the service would cope with the impending winter period.

Councillor Johnson said: “Similar to other areas in Scotland the Ayrshire and Arran health and social care system remains under immense pressure.

“The impact and legacy of the pandemic is ongoing alongside the continued stresses placed on the workforce and increased demand for services.

“The pressures are most visible at the hospitals where emergency access performance standards are not met, there are ambulance delays to hand over patients, there is an increased length of stay.

“Despite efforts, continued pressures to date have not enabled the de-escalation of either acute hospital in Ayrshire and Arran and there has not been the closure of any of the additional beds opened to support the surge in Covid inpatient numbers.

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