The Scottish Government will “look carefully” at restarting NHS services cancelled due to covid-19 when there is more evidence that virus infection numbers are falling, Scotland’s Deputy First Minister said today.

John Swinney told MSPs the NHS was still open but admitted many important procedures “are not currently taking place”.

It came as another medical body added its voice to calls for NHS services to get up and running again.

The Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh said planned services should be resumed “swiftly but carefully” alongside an expansion of testing for staff and patients.

Public health expert Linda Bauld told healthandcare.scot the approach had been more cautious in Scotland than in England, where the NHS was instructed to restore non-covid procedures nearly two weeks ago.

Elective procedures in Scotland were postponed for three months in March to clear hospital wards ahead of a feared surge in covid-19 cases.

Cancer screening programmes and some cancer operations were also halted.

Mr Swinney said minor changes to wider lockdown measures would be considered if there was “more evidence of a downward trend in the virus”.

This would include reopening garden centres and tips, and the prospect of allowing some outdoor work.

The Deputy First Minister went on to say: “In addition, we will look carefully at the steps necessary to open up our national health service to a wider range of services than has been available during the pandemic.”

A spokesperson for the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh said: “For a return to planned procedures in Scotland, including cancer services, patients must feel secure that their risk of contracting covid-19 is as low as possible when coming into contact with care facilities, healthcare workers, or other patients.

“Similarly, those working in health and care must not be put at any additional risk through unprotected contact with patients or their families.

“A mainstay in achieving these aims is the extension of the availability of testing, for patients and staff alike - and the College is assured that the capacity to undertake this is on the increase. Furthermore, the provision of appropriate PPE remains vital to staff and patient safety.

“We hope that the Scottish Government and NHS Scotland will soon be in a position to update patients and healthcare workers on the situation, and we will continue to encourage people to attend A&E if they have a medical problem that requires urgent attention.”

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