871 deaths associated with 12-hour A&E waits in 2025

Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Alex Cole-Hamilton MSP has published new analysis which shows there were an estimated 871 deaths associated with 12 hour waits at A&E in 2025.

According to Public Health Scotland, 62,749 people waited more than 12 hours before their admission to A&Es in 2025.  

The Standard Mortality Ratio assumes that there will be one additional death for every 72 patients that experience an 8 to 12 hour wait prior to their admission at A&E.

By applying this measure to the number who waited more than 12 hours last year, it is estimated there were 871 deaths linked to such waits.

This contrasts sharply with when the SNP first came to power. In 2008, just 465 people waited over 12 hours.

Alex Cole-Hamilton said:

“After nineteen years of an SNP government, the A&E crisis is costing hundreds of people their lives.

“The conditions facing staff and patients are utterly terrifying; we cannot afford to go on like this.

“The only way to bring down catastrophic A&E waits and stop people dying is to fix the broken social care system.

“Hospitals are full of people who can’t leave, despite being medically ready, because there are not enough care packages and care workers to get them home. This, in turn, means fewer beds and longer waits for new patients arriving at A&Es.

“Scottish Liberal Democrats have got a realistic plan to raise the wages of care workers and attract more people into the profession, helping free up essential space in A&Es. No matter where you are, you can vote for that plan in May by backing us on your second, peach-coloured, regional ballot paper.”