Health Secretary Michael Matheson has delivered a statement on winter resilience as the government published this year's plan, external.

Here are the headlines:

• A £50m funding boost for Scottish Ambulance Service (SAS) recruitment
• Up to £12m to expand Hospital at Home services was also announced
• The new funding for SAS will support work to recruit a further 317 frontline staff to help increase capacity to emergency response
• It will also see 18 additional clinicians working in the call centre hub
• The expansion of Hospital at Home, which enables people to be treated at home rather than on a ward, is intended to deliver at least 380 additional beds this winter
• "This winter will be extremely challenging," says Matheson
• Tory health spokesperson Dr Sandesh Gulhane warns of "another disastrous winter for our NHS"
• Scottish Labour's Jackie Baillie warns austerity "is killing people"
• Scottish Lib Dems leader Alex Cole-Hamilton argues "there simply aren't enough staff"

That's all from our live coverage of the statement on the government's winter plan. Thank you for joining us.

The editor of the live page was Mary McCool. The writers were Rachel Grant and Craig Hutchison.

Michael Matheson recognises there are staffing challenges in the NHS, but he adds that is the case across the whole of the UK.

The health secretary tells the chamber the government has increased its training provision across the NHS.

He says the government will continue to work with the professional groups to get the training balance right.

The minister insists NHS staff are paid higher here than anywhere else in the UK and that's why industrial action has been avoided.

Image source, Scottish Parliament TV

Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Alex Cole-Hamilton says: "The warnings from NHS workers are as bad as they've ever been."

He says they are being put under pressure that is "desperate as it is dangerous".

He insists: "There simply aren't enough staff to meet the challenge of the winter ahead."

Both Conservative and Labour MSPs have quoted the latest mortality rates published this morning, which last winter saw the highest number of deaths during the season in over 30 years, according to National Records of Scotland, external.

Almost 24,500 deaths were registered between December 2022 and March 2023, the highest since 1990.

The cause of death with the largest seasonal increase was dementia and Alzheimer’s disease accounting for 640 additional deaths.

There were 310 additional deaths as a result of Covid-19 during this time.

NRS said the trend may be partly driven by Scotland’s ageing population.

Mr Matheson points out that there has been an increase in mortality across the UK, and says the leading cause is austerity policy "which is quite literally killing people".

He says the planning this year acknowledges the need to integrate health and social care to address some of the challenges of last year.

"I wouldn't be foolish enough to suggest this will resolve all of the issues," he says. "There will be difficulties and challenges in the system."

He adds that delayed discharge will be addressed though a national care service to help them deal with it consistently across the whole country.

Image source, Scottish Parliament TV

Labour health spokesperson Jackie Baillie points out there has been a "staggering 11% jump" in winter deaths in the past year.

She asks what the Scottish government expects the number of delayed discharge patients to be this winter, given it was 1,700 in August.

In response, the health secretary says there are a variety of reasons why there appears to be an increase in mortality.

It would be inaccurate to say that this was some form of reflection on the present performance of A&E, he says.

Matheson goes on to tell the chamber he has acknowledged that the NHS is under pressure throughout the year.

"I accept there is a need to take a holistic approach to it which is why we've taken a whole systems approach."

Image source, Scottish Parliament TV

Dr Sandesh Gulhane MSP says new figures published this morning revealed that over 24,000 people died last winter.

The Scottish Conservative health spokesperson says thousands more have been left languishing on waiting lists.

The GP says: "All the signs once again point to another disastrous winter for our NHS under the SNP."

He calls for a more holistic take on secondary care rather than moving from one crisis to the next.

The care system needs support, particularly during the winter, the health secretary tells the chamber.

If the plans for winter are not enough to cope with surges in demand for health and social care services, "we will not hesitate to act to support the system", he adds.

"The Scottish government and Cosla have been working tirelessly to create the condition needed for the whole system to deliver, and we are united in our resolve to provide safe and timely access to health and social care services over the winter period," Mr Matheson says.

Image source, PA Media

Mr Matheson says the government will provide a £50m boost to the ambulance service to help with the winter period.

They are also recruiting for 317 frontline staff, plus call centre workers, he adds.

Care for patients in their own home will be improved, the health secretary says, with extra funding for Hospital at Home with another £12m being offered to expand these services - providing support for 360 extra beds.

This will reduce the pressure and A&E and "throughout the system", he adds.

Image source, Getty Images

The health secretary turns to NHS and social care staff.

Matheson says the staff must be supported and a number of strategies will be used to achieve this.

"As a result of significant Scottish government investment, of over £15m, an additional 1,000 nurses, midwives and allied health professionals have joined NHS Scotland in the last two years."

He says a further £3m will lead to 250 registered personnel being employed - some of whom will be in post this winter.

Michael Matheson highlights the NHS and social care winter summit held in August.

The health secretary explains this was to share best practice.

He says a winter preparedness checklist was issued in September and actions were taken based on feedback.

The health secretary says the winter plan is built around three principles:

1. Actions taken must centre around best outcomes for citizens
2. A whole system approach
3. Building on lessons from previous winters

He explains the winter planning cycle began in early spring.

The minister points to the delayed discharge plan published in March, which is critical to improving outcomes for patients.

Image source, Scottish Parliament TV

Michael Matheson begins his winter resilience statement by saying there is "no doubt this winter will be extremely challenging for our health and care system".

The health secretary says the winter plan has been developed with Cosla.

He says the system must be as ready as possible to face the pressures winter brings.

Speeches have run on but Health Secretary Michael Matheson will shortly deliver his statement on the Scottish government's health and social care winter resilience plan.

The Scottish government has just published the plan, external.

Image source, YOUSAF FAMILY HANDOUT

Humza Yousaf's family are running out of water as they shelter from Israeli bombardment in Gaza, the first minister has said.

His in-laws have been trapped in the territory for two weeks following deadly attacks by Hamas in Israel.

The SNP leader said the experience was like "torture" for his relatives, who are from Dundee.

He reiterated his call for the UK government to demand safe passage for civilians from Gaza.

Foreign Secretary James Cleverly said he was working with Israel and Egypt to open the Rafah crossing into Egypt to help British nationals leave the area.

Read more here.

Georgia Roberts
BBC Scotland Westminster correspondent

Image source, PA Media

The Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar accused Israel of a “clear breach” of international law in over its operations in Gaza following the resignation of 15 party officers in Glasgow and Edinburgh.

Speaking after an Institute for Government event in London, he tells the BBC: “There is no justification for the withholding of essential supplies; water, electricity, medicine and food from the people of Gaza. It is a clear breach of international law.”

“There is no grey area. International law is clear. Withholding of water, energy and essential supplies is a breach of international law and therefore there must be immediate humanitarian corridors opened so that is accessed by the people in Gaza.”

He says he made his remarks “whilst unequivocally condemning Hamas” and called for “a de-escalation of violence” and “rocket fire coming into and out of Gaza” coming to an end.

“We must condemn Hamas but we cannot pretend that Hamas is the Palestinian people,” he said.

Asked about Labour officers resigning their positions in Glasgow and Edinburgh, he said he disputed the Labour Party was stifling debate.

“I don’t want to trivialise the issue by talking about individual CLPs [constituency Labour parties]…it’s being talked about nationally and right across the country.”

The winter resilience statement is going to begin later than we first thought.

This is due to the first minister's statement on Gaza and Israel and the questions he has taken.

Image source, Scottish Parliament TV

First Minster Humsa Yousaf addresses the chamber about the situation in Gaza, following a call to Prime Minister Rishi Sunak this afternoon.

He starts by "unequivocally" condemning the atrocities committed by Hamas, telling MSPs that as a young Muslim he was taught that to "kill one innocent person it is as if you killed the whole of humanity".

Close to tears, he says his wife wants to hug her mum and dad, who are trapped in Gaza, and "I have two girls who really miss their granny and grandad".

"Too many innocent men, women and children are suffering. We cannot allow this conflict to create new tension in our own peaceful communities in Scotland," he says.

"As long as I'm first minister, and I'm sure I speak for the entire chamber, there is no room for anti-Semitism, for Islamophobia, or hatred of any kind here in Scotland.

"I am steadfast to my commitment to solidarity and to our strong tradition of inclusion and interfaith working across Scotland."

Biggest challenge for NHS is staffing - there are simply not enoughpublished at 14:43 British Summer Time 24 October 2023

14:43 BST 24 October 2023

Lisa Summers
BBC Scotland Health Correspondent

Last winter was frequently referred to as the worst in the history of the NHS, and with no let-up in pressures over the summer months, doctors say they have real concerns about what this winter will bring.

Already there are queues of people waiting too long in emergency departments to be moved into hospital for further care. That leads to ambulance crews being stuck outside hospitals instead of getting back on the road to answer more 999 calls.

Much of the log jam comes from patients who are medically ready to leave hospital but who can't get home because the right social care is unavailable.

A lot of work has been going on to improve access to care in the community.

Services like Hospital at Home aim to deliver hospital level care to patients without the need for them to be admitted.

There are now GPs and other specialists working with the Scottish Ambulance Service to help people who call for an ambulance find the right help for them, and often it does not require a visit an A&E.

We can play our part by getting vaccinated, if eligible, against Covid and flu, and by only going to A&E if it is a life-threatening emergency.

But the biggest challenge for the NHS and social care this winter will be staffing.

Spending more money to extend initiatives still requires more trained staff, and there are simply not enough.