Emergency ward delays will lead to lives being lost, say Scottish Tories

Scots could die “needlessly” because of long waits for treatment in accident and emergency units, Health Secretary Humza Yousaf has been warned.

Opposition politicians hit out at the Scottish Government as the latest figures showed a waiting time target was missed for almost three out of 10 patients.

In the week ending March 6, 70.5% of those who want to A&E for help were either admitted, transferred or discharged within four hours.

Meanwhile, there were 1,825 people who spend more than eight hours in A&E, with 643 there for 12 hours or more, according to Public Health Scotland.

The proportion of patients who were dealt with within four hours was down slightly from the 70.8% recorded the previous week, and is below the Scottish Government target, which sets out that this should be achieved for at least 95% of patients.

The figures prompted claims that emergency departments “are in a constant state of crisis” and that “A&E is on life support”.

Scottish Conservative health spokesman, Dr Sandesh Gulhane, said: “We’re getting used to seeing woeful and worsening A&E stats but that doesn’t make them any more tolerable.”

He added: “Scotland’s emergency wards are in a constant state of crisis, chronically under-staffed and creaking under a demand that can’t be met – and yet the Health Secretary appears to be standing idly by, either unwilling or unable to help.

“In the last few days, NHS Lanarkshire and NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde have again been forced to plead with patients not to come to A&E if at all possible because they are so stretched.

“Lives will be needlessly lost because of these delays, and the buck stops with Humza Yousaf for not providing exhausted, overworked staff with the resources they require.”

Labour health spokeswoman, Jackie Baillie, said: “The crisis in A&E is still raging on despite the incredible efforts of hardworking staff, with performance declining once again.

“Week after week, the chaos in our emergency services has been putting lives on the line – but the SNP are posted missing.”

She added: “We cannot let chaos become the new normal in our NHS.

“A&E is on life support – we urgently need a real plan to get services back on track.”

Scottish Liberal Democrat leader, Alex Cole-Hamilton, was also critical of the Scottish Government, saying: “The fact that this crisis has carried on for so many months is shocking.

“Under Nicola Sturgeon and Humza Yousaf the focus needed to end this crisis has been sorely lacking.

“There is no doubt that this crisis is the end result of 15 years of SNP mismanagement, poor workforce planning and a lack of vision. Staff are exhausted and patients are being left waiting in interminable queues.”

A Scottish Government spokesman that the “rising rates of Covid-related hospital cases” the country was experiencing would “inevitably impact on A&E performance”.

But he stated: “Despite this, these latest figures remain broadly in line with recent weeks despite attendances now approaching pre-pandemic levels.

“We continue to work closely with our health board colleagues to develop actions which will deliver the four-hour target.”

The spokesman continued: “NHS staff continue to face unprecedented pressures as they work to respond to the pandemic whilst continuing to provide vital treatment and optimal patient care.

“Hospitals continue to face capacity issues as a result of staff absence and reduced beds due to infection control requirements, while high numbers of patients presenting who are acutely unwell is leading to a longer length of time spent in hospital and impacting on flow.

“For many, A&E will not be the right place for their healthcare need and people can contact the NHS 24 telephone service 111, day or night, when they may think they need A&E but their care is not critical.

“Scotland continues to have the best performing A&Es in the UK. In fact, Scotland’s A&Es have outperformed those in England, Wales and Northern Ireland for over six years.”