'Covid risk' if A&E admissions surge in cold snap

A surge in Scotland's hospital admissions due to falls on the ice could put more people at risk of catching Covid, a leading surgeon has warned.

Prof Michael Griffin, president of the Royal College of Surgeons in Edinburgh, said more people are being injured while out in the recent cold snap.

He said a reduction in the use of the NHS would prevent it being overwhelmed.

A cold snap in Scotland has led to icy patches across the country.

A further Met Office yellow warning for ice begins at 16:00, affecting all areas along the east coast, as well as the Scottish Borders, Dumfries and Galloway, South Lanarkshire and the Highlands and islands.

It comes as tough new lockdown restrictions forbidding people from leaving home for non-essential reasons come into force.

BBC Scotland previously heard from one doctor in Glasgow who said around 75% of A&E patients admitted were due to falls on the ice.

And NHS Grampian has reported an increasing number of people to its emergency departments following slips, trips and falls on ice.

Prof Griffin told BBC Radio's Good Morning Scotland the same problem had been felt in Edinburgh and in the north of England, putting more people in hospitals and at risk of contact with the virus.

"Throughout Scotland the weather has been very, very cold," he said. "People have been falling over and breaking hips, breaking wrists and it just adds more work in a difficult time.

"Remember some of these require operations - some of the elderly who fall and break hips are having major surgery to make them better and that in itself is a risk, particularly in a Covid-rich environment. If they get Covid during the operative period it is a serious complication.

"Any reduction in the use of the NHS at this very, very difficult time will help health care workers and help the NHS not to be overwhelmed."

While gritters have been out in force across the country, pavements and other areas remain a risk for ice.

The Met Office said icy patches were expected to develop on untreated surfaces with showers "feeding in" from the east, leaving surfaces wet.

Further snow is also forecast for hills above 200 metres (ft) with some small accumulations possible in south-east Scotland.

Over the weekend crowds were seen gathering around a frozen pond in Queen's Park in the south of Glasgow, where skaters were out on the ice.

Police were called to the scene following "concerns" from local residents on Saturday.

Meanwhile the Scottish SPCA said it had received over 70 calls in the last week from people who "mistakenly" fear swans are stuck in ice on frozen waters.

The charity said some had even called the fire service, but advised that the vast majority of birds are able to free themselves in such circumstances.

Scottish SPCA chief superintendent, Mike Flynn, said, "We understand that the public have good intentions when it comes to these birds and are concerned they are stuck or in distress.

"In reality, swans are incredibly powerful birds and more than capable of breaking any ice that forms around them."