Gray concedes A&E wait times performance ‘below’ where it should be

Waiting times performance in accident and emergency is “below the levels we all wish to see”, Health Secretary Neil Gray conceded as new weekly figures showed more patients having long waits.

In the week ending October 26, a total of 2,007 people – 7.5% of patients – spent 12 hours or more in an A&E department – which is the highest seven-day total since the week to February 2.

Meanwhile 4,273 patients – 15.9% of cases – were in A&E for eight hours or more – which is the highest number since the week ending January 5.

The latest figures from Public Health Scotland show that overall, 10,360 patients spent longer than the four-hour target time in accident and emergency before being either admitted, transferred or discharged.

The Scottish Government has set the target of having at least 95% of patients in A&E admitted, transferred or discharged within four hours – but compliance has been below 80% since the summer of 2021.

In the week ending October 26, the data shows the four-hour target was achieved for 61.5% of patients – down from 63.9% the previous week.

The latest figures come despite efforts by First Minister John Swinney and his Health Secretary to reduce long waits.

Mr Gray accepted: “Current A&E performance is below the levels we all wish to see – we want to drive improvements and are working closely with health boards to ensure they have the support in place to cope with peaks in demand.”

He said A&E departments are “facing sustained pressure”, adding health boards are reporting “higher levels of hospital occupancy” are contributing to delays.

Mr Gray added: “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.”Scottish Conservative health spokesman Dr Sandesh Gulhane said: “John Swinney should hang his head in shame.

“These scandalous figures confirm Scotland’s A&E departments are teetering on the brink of collapsing even before winter truly begins to bite.

“While he shamelessly spins, the harsh reality is that over 2,000 patients were forced to wait more than half-a-day this week for treatment. These staggering delays cost over 800 lives last year in our A&E departments.”

Labour health spokeswoman Dame Jackie Baillie added: “Every week thousands of patients are languishing in A&E departments for hours on end waiting for help they desperately need, despite the tireless efforts of hardworking NHS staff.

“The Royal College of Emergency Medicine has warned that hundreds of lives have already been lost as a result of long waits, and the SNP’s ongoing A&E crisis is endangering more lives.

“We have had years of empty promises from a string of different SNP health ministers, but things are getting worse once again.”

She added that with A&E departments “already at crisis point”, hospitals “could be in for a catastrophic winter if the SNP doesn’t act”.

Separate figures for the month of September show 67.8% of patients in A&E were seen and either admitted, transferred or discharged within four hours, down from 68.9% in August.

Over the course of September, 15,821 patients – 11.4% of those in A&E – were there for at least eight hours, with this up from 10.4% of cases the previous month.

A total of 6,609 patients (4.8%) had to spend a minimum of 12 hours in the emergency department – up from 4.2% in August.

Liberal Democrats said the figures show September 2025 was the worst September on record for A&E waits.

Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Alex Cole-Hamilton said: “After a record-breaking August for long waits at A&E, this SNP Government have broken another record in September as well.

“What’s worse is that the very longest waits are ballooning too, with thousands waiting over half-a-day at A&E.

“Winter typically brings the worst pressures at A&E, yet we are already seeing records broken for long waits. The warning signs could not be clearer.”

Mr Gray said the Government is investing £200 million “to reduce waiting times, improve hospital flow, and minimise delayed discharges”.

He added: “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.”