The BBC reported that the Scottish Health Minister apologized for the football players waiting for an ambulance for nearly 10 hours.
In Saturday's game, Queens Park defender Charlie Fox was injured in the match with Partick Thursle, causing the game to be suspended for about 10 minutes. However, Fox didn't wait until the ambulance arrived at Fisher Field around 1 a.m. and was released from the hospital on Sunday.
Scotland Health Secretary Neil Gray told MPs that he had apologized to the defender for the pain and trauma he had suffered as a result of the long wait. A Scottish Government spokesman said the delay was "unacceptable and does not meet the standards we expect".
The injury occurred about 25 minutes into Saturday's championship, and Queen's Park said on social media: "Things don't look good. It's really heartbreaking for the big man."
Later, Partick-Thursle officials mentioned on social media that staff from both teams stayed with Fox until nearly 1 a.m. when the ambulance arrived. The Scottish Ambulance Service said the delays were due to significant pressure on the service and "extended hospital handover times".
A spokesman said: "We apologize for the delay in Mr Fox's response and the distress it has caused. Our services were in high demand at the time and hospital handover times were up to more than two hours due to ongoing pressure on NHS emergency departments in the Glasgow and Clyde area. "These delays prevented our ambulance crews from returning in time to continue treating other patients."
The Scottish Government has apologized to a footballer who waited for an ambulance for up to five hours. Earlier this year, 19-year-old Brooke Patterson suffered a broken leg when Linlithgow Roses played Cumbernauld United, but had to lie on the pitch for hours waiting for help. The Scottish Government said emergency services attended 547 life-threatening incidents in the week of October 20, with an average response time of eight minutes and 20 seconds. They also noted that hundreds of extra staff had been recruited last year to support ambulance services.
At the same time, Fox is waiting for MRI examination results to determine the specific circumstances of the injury. Queens Park manager Sean Clayton said the club was "very sad" for the defender, describing Fox as an important and well-liked figure in the squad.
Clayton added: "I have visited him at his home, as have the coaching staff and players. We hope he can return to the club and training base as soon as possible. Due to swelling at the injured area, we are still waiting for scan results to decide the next step of treatment."