A&E waiting times improve sharply, figures show

Waiting times at Scotland’s emergency departments have improved sharply, but almost one third are still waiting too long, new figures show.

Statistics released on Tuesday by Public Health Scotland (PHS) show 68% of attendances in the week up to July 28 were seen within four hours.

Despite falling well short of the 95% target set by the Scottish Government, the figure increased from 63.5% the previous week.

The proportion of people waiting longer than 12 hours also dropped between the two weeks, falling from 5.6% to 5%.

The proportion of those waiting more than eight hours also dropped from 12.9% to 10.8%.

But the latest monthly figures, also released on Tuesday, showed a drop in performance in June.

Those seen within four hours dropped form 70.8% to 69%, while the number of people waiting more than 12 hours increased from 4.2% to 4.5%.

Those waiting eight hours or more jumped from 10% to 10.7%.

Health Secretary Neil Gray said: “The latest weekly figures which show performance is moving in the right direction, with over two thirds of people being seen in our emergency departments within four hours.

“Although we have the best performing core A&E departments in the UK, performance remains below the level we all wish to see.

“We are continuing to work with Boards to reduce long waits and support delivery of sustained improvements.

“Services are facing sustained pressure and this is not unique to Scotland – with similar challenges being felt right across the UK.

“This year’s Scottish Budget provides more than £19.5 billion for health and social care and an extra £500 million for frontline boards.”

Scottish Tory deputy health spokeswoman Tess White claimed the NHS was in “permanent crisis mode”, adding: “Pressure on A&E services in June should be much less acute, but due to the SNP’s inaction, suffering patients and dedicated staff are having to deal with winter-like pressures in our hospitals.

“Waits in June were the worst ever on the SNP’s watch for that particular month. Unless the SNP health secretary urgently addresses this situation, we will be faced with a winter of complete chaos in A&E departments.

“Successive SNP health secretaries have failed to have a vision for our NHS, and it is patients who are left to pay the price.

“If Neil Gray needs somewhere to start to repair the damage his party have done to Scotland’s NHS then he should adopt our bold plans to deliver a modern, efficient and local health service.”

While Scottish Lib Dem leader Alex Cole-Hamilton said: “Under the SNP the NHS is teetering on the brink, staff are overwhelmed, and thousands are waiting far too long to be seen.

“We need to see action from this SNP Government to address long waits at A&E before we are staring down the barrel of a winter crisis.