A&E departments record worst August performance on record

Scotland’s accident and emergency departments have recorded their worst performance for any August on record.

Nearly a third of Scots who attended A&E in August waited more than the four-hour target, according to data from Public Health Scotland.

The statistics show 68.9% of patients were seen within four hours.

The figure is down from 70.4% the same time last year, and has tumbled from the 96.3% recorded in August 2007.

Compared to July, the percentage of Scots waiting more than eight hours at A&E rose from 9.1% to 10.4%.

There was also a rise in waits of more than 12 hours, from 3.6% in July to 4.2% in August.

The Scottish Conservatives described the figures as “atrocious” and warned the NHS is “sleepwalking towards a winter collapse under the SNP”.

Dr Sandesh Gulhane, the party’s health spokesman at Holyrood, said: “Week after week, thousands of patients are left languishing in our A&E departments, and the nationalists’ incompetence is costing lives.

“If the figures are this bad now, winter doesn’t bear thinking about.

“Frontline staff are doing everything they can but they’ve been left firefighting because of the SNP’s dire workforce planning and (former health secretary) Humza Yousaf’s flimsy recovery plan.

“Warm words aren’t going to cut it. Scots don’t want another plan that isn’t worth the paper it’s written on – they need real action.

“Our NHS is on the brink of catastrophe. (Health Secretary) Neil Gray needs to get a grip and back our bold plans to cut bureaucracy, ditch the pointless pen-pushers and surge resources to the frontline.”

Alex Cole-Hamilton, the leader of the Scottish Liberal Democrats, said the record waits must be an “urgent warning” for the Scottish Government “over the potential crisis looming in the winter”.

He said: “Staff and patients are already trapped in pressure cooker conditions, even without the additional pressures that the winter brings.

“They need to see action now from the SNP Government to relieve pressure.

“We are seeing these long waits at A&E because too many people are unable to leave our hospitals as they can’t get the care package they need to leave safely.”

Scottish Labour health spokeswoman Dame Jackie Baillie said “These shocking figures are a damning indictment of the SNP’s mismanagement of our health service.

“Despite Health Secretary Neil Gray promising to take action on waiting times, the number of people facing waits of over eight and 12 hours is rising.

“It is also deeply concerning that this is happening during the summer months, when we know to expect additional pressure on our health service during the winter period.

“(First Minister) John Swinney and the SNP have no meaningful plan, no strategy and no idea to save our NHS.

“They should hang their heads in shame at the utter chaos they have presided over.”

Mr Gray said: “Our A&E departments are facing sustained pressure, with boards reporting higher levels of hospital occupancy which is impacting on patient flow and leading to delays at the front door.

“This situation is not unique to Scotland with all other UK nations experiencing similar pressures.

“Despite this, Scotland’s core A&E departments have consistently outperformed those in England and Wales over the past decade.

“We are investing £200 million to reduce waiting times, improve hospital flow, and minimise delayed discharges.

“We will provide direct access to specialist frailty teams in every A&E and expand Hospital at Home capacity to at least 2,000 beds by the end of 2026. These measures will help us shift the focus of care from acute to community.”