Number of patients being seen at A&E within target time hits new low

The number of patients being seen within target waiting times in Scotland’s emergency departments has hit a new low, figures show.

Just 61.9% of people attending A&E in the week up to November 27 were seen and subsequently admitted or discharged within four hours.

The Scottish Government aims for 95% of people to be seen within the four-hour, time limit.

The figure dropped from 63.1% the week before.

As well as the weekly figures, the record of A&E in October was the worst monthly performance on record, when 67.6% were seen within the target time.

Health Secretary Humza Yousaf said: “A&E performance is not where it needs to be.”

Of the 24,995 people who attended A&E in the week up to November 27, some 1,226 waited longer than 12 hours, while 3,363 waited more than eight hours.

A total of 9,532 attendees were waiting longer than four hours, the figures showed.

At the flagship Queen Elizabeth University Hospital in Glasgow, just 36.8% of people at A&E were dealt with in four hours, although the figure rose from 35.1% the week before.

Responding to the figures, the Health Secretary said: “A number of factors are driving up A&E waits including the level of delayed discharge which is why we are working with health boards to ensure people leave hospital without delay, freeing up vital beds for those who need them most.

“We will continue to see fluctuations in figures over winter, despite this, I am clear that A&E performance is not where it needs to be.

“Our network of Flow Navigation Centres, in place all across the country, are a key asset in relieving pressure on A&E – directing people towards the most appropriate urgent care and offering rapid access to a clinician and scheduled in person, phone or video appointments, where appropriate, to avoid unnecessary long waits.

“More than 23,000 patients have avoided an unnecessary trip to a physical A&E through NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde’s virtual service alone.”