‘Appalling’ July A&E waiting times are worst on record for the month

“Appalling” new accident and emergency waiting time figures have shown the highest number of patients waiting more than four hours for the month of July.

The Scottish Government came under fire after data showed a total of 39,943 patients spent longer than the target time in A&E.

The total was the highest recorded for the month in Public Health Scotland statistics going back to July 2007 – some two months after the SNP came to power, when 4,450 patients spent more than four hours in A&E.

Scottish Conservative health spokesperson Dr Sandesh Gulhane hit out: “If things are this bad at the height of summer, winter doesn’t bear thinking about.”

He demanded action from Health Secretary Neil Gray, saying: “Our NHS is in crisis, and, if we are to avoid a total winter collapse, Neil Gray needs to get a grip on this situation now.”

His comments came as the latest figures showed of the 131,574 patients who went to A&E for help in July 2024, almost seven out of 10 (69.9%) were seen and either admitted, transferred or discharged within four hors.

That is up from the 69% recorded in June – but is still well below the Scottish Government target of having 95% of patients admitted, transferred or discharged within the four-hour target.

While the number of patients who spent four hours or more in A&E was the lowest it had been since September 2023, it was up by 11% from July 2023, when the total was 35,252.

The latest monthly figures also showed that in July this year, 13,549 patients were in A&E for eight hours or more over the course of the month, with 5,759 patients spending at least 12 hours there.

Dr Gulhane said: “Just when you think the crisis in our NHS can’t get any worse, the SNP surpass themselves.”

The Tory MSP added: “The brutal combination of Humza Yousaf’s back-of-a-fag-packet recovery plan and the woeful workforce planning of successive SNP health secretaries mean that this July has been the worst ever on record for A&E waiting times.

“These appalling figures are the product of 17 years of SNP mismanagement and, tragically, they inevitably lead to needless deaths.”

Separate weekly waiting times figures showed in the week ending August 25 that almost two thirds (66.5%) of patients were seen and subsequently admitted, transferred or discharged within the four-hour target – up from 64.7% the previous week.

Of the 25,542 patients who went to A&E for help that week, 8,546 were there for longer than the four-hour target time.

That includes 2,908 patients who were there for eight hours or more and 1,322 who were there for at least 12 hours.

Health Secretary Neil Gray said: “Although we have the best performing core A&E departments in the UK, performance remains below the level we all wish to see.”

He said the Scottish Government was “working closely” with NHS boards to “reduce long waits and support improvements”.

The Health Secretary added: “This sustained pressure 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.”