Scots urged to consider if condition is emergency before going to A&E

Scotland’s Health Secretary has asked people to consider if their condition is an emergency before going to A&E over the festive period in a bid to ease expected pressures.

Emergency departments in Scotland have been struggling with waiting times targets in recent years, with pressures particularly pronounced in late December and early January.

Speaking during a visit to the A&E unit at St John’s Hospital in Livingston, Michael Matheson said: “I was pleased to meet frontline A&E staff at St John’s Hospital today to see first-hand how they are preparing for winter and to hear about the challenges they are facing as pressure intensifies.

“To help relieve pressure on services this festive period, I want to remind the public to consider whether their condition is an emergency before going to A&E.

“Local GPs and pharmacies can be contacted during the day for non-critical care, NHS 24 is also available on 111 for non-emergencies.

“Our winter plan is supporting boards maximise capacity to meet demand and our £12 million expansion of Hospital at Home is already helping more people receive care at home, or as close to home as possible, where clinically appropriate, which is relieving pressure on the front door of our A&Es.

“Our highly skilled and committed workforce are the cornerstone of our response every winter and I am extremely grateful for their continued hard work and dedication in the face of sustained pressure.

“Their efforts will be vital in ensuring we deliver high quality care for the public this winter.”

The Scottish Government aims to ensure 95% of all patients attending A&E are seen and subsequently admitted, discharged or transferred within four hours.

The last time the target was hit was during the early months of the pandemic, when attendances had dropped substantially.

The most recent statistics, published on Tuesday, show 65.1% of A&E patients in the week to December 3 were seen within that period, while 1,233 people waited more than 12 hours.