Humza Yousaf has urged people to think twice about calling an ambulance due to the massive pressures on the system in Scotland.
The SNP Health Secretary issued a stark warning for the NHS ahead of what he said would be a very challenging winter as the health service deals with covid and the flu.
It comes after paramedics told the Daily Record that waiting times are putting lives at risk.
The average 999 ambulance waiting time has increased to six hours and worried staff said it is down to “system overload”.
Some paramedics believe lives have already been lost because of delays and fear more patients will die.
Others have spoken about being "exhausted and undervalued".
The NHS in Scotland is attempting to get back on its feet following more than a year-and-a-half of upheaval due to the impacts of the coronavirus pandemic.
Scotland is currently dealing with a surge in covid cases after lockdown restrictions were lifted in Scotland on August 9. Hospitalisations are also on the up with the number of people in facilities with the virus across Scotland surpassing 1000.
It has led to pressures on the system, especially the ambulance service.
Asked on the BBC's Good Morning Scotland programme if people should "think twice" about calling an ambulance, Yousaf answered: "Yes is the short answer to that.
"I don't know that people do that because they are in distressing situations, I think most people will only call when they're in extreme distress.
"You can imagine the pressure that the ambulance service and our health service as a whole is under.
"So please do think about picking up the phone to call 999 to call an ambulance.
"Is it absolutely critical? If it is of course make that call and the ambulance service will get to you as quickly as they possibly can."
Asked about pressures on the health service, Yousaf said more people were being recruitment across the country to deal with the situation.
He added: "There's no getting away from the challenge that is there.
"That's why we've invested in giving the service an extra £20 million injection, in fact we did that before the autumn and winter period so that the recruitment can start.
"We are in for an extraordinarily difficult winter.
"We know that the flu season could be extremely challenging. We know that people who are presenting, whether it's to the ambulance service or GPs or A&E they are presenting more sick because they haven't presented in the last 18 months.
"I know from looking at the data, the last time we had 1000 patients in hospital with covid was December 2020.
"I can't get away from the fact that we're in for an extremely challenging winter and that's why we're investing as much as we possibly can."
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