Ministers under fire over ‘neverending crisis’ in accident and emergency

The Scottish Government has come under fire for the “neverending crisis” in accident and emergency (A&E), with new figures showing an increased proportion of people waiting longer than the target time.

The latest data, covering the week ending November 17, showed 63.5% of patients were seen and either admitted, transferred or discharged within four hours.

The figure is down from 63.9% the previous week and continues to be well below the Scottish Government target of having 95% of patients admitted, transferred or discharged in four hours or less.

Of the 25,960 people who went to A&E for help in the week ending November 17, a total of 9,475 were there for longer than the target time.

That includes 3,147 who waited eight hours or more and 1,394 who spent at last half a day in the emergency room.

Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Alex Cole-Hamilton said: “The kind of waiting times we are now seeing at A&E used to only happen during the worst winter crises, now we’re seeing them week in, week out.

“This neverending crisis in A&E that the SNP are presiding over is leaving staff overwhelmed and thousands waiting far too long to be seen.

“We need to see the Scottish Government finally take some urgent action to address this crisis.”

Meanwhile, Labour health spokesperson Jackie Baillie warned: “This latest data shows that we are heading for a winter of anxious waits in crowded hospital corridors.”

She added that the UK Government’s budget had “delivered a record settlement for Scotland including £789 million of health-related funding this year and an additional £1.72billion for our NHS next year” – but said it was “up to this SNP government to ensure it makes a difference to frontline services”.

Ms Baillie insisted: “The SNP must reduce delayed discharge and retain NHS staff so that patients who come seeking emergency treatment quickly receive the help they need.”

Scottish Conservatives meanwhile also demanded the government act on “terrifying A&E waiting times”, with health spokesperson Dr Sandesh Gulhane accusing the SNP of “overseeing complete chaos in our NHS this winter”.

Dr Gulhane said: “It is suffering patients and dedicated staff who are paying the price for the SNP’s failed policies such as their continued squandering of taxpayers’ money on their botched National Care Service Bill.

“These excessive delays lead to needless deaths and this will likely only worsen during the winter period.

“It is time for SNP health ministers to show some common sense, accept their current approach has failed and produce a real plan to stop the permanent crisis in our A&E departments.”

Health Secretary Neil Gray insisted Scotland has “the best-performing core A&E departments in the UK, and have done for the last eight years”.

However, he added: “Performance is not of the standard we all expect and we continue to work closely with NHS boards to support a reduction in long waits.”

Mr Gray stressed the “sustained pressure services face” was not unique to Scotland, adding other parts of the UK were dealing with “similar challenges”.

He said: “This winter, a record number of NHS 24 call-handlers will be available to direct people to the most appropriate care, helping reduce unnecessary A&E attendances.

“The Scottish Budget this year provides more than £19.5 billion for health and social care, and an extra £500 million for frontline boards.”