A&E waits continue at crisis levels

Responding to new figures showing that in the week ending 1st February, with only 61.9% of people attending A&E seen within the 4 hour target, while 4,130 (15.6%) people waited over 8 hours and 2,059 (7.8%) waited over 12 hours, Alex Cole-Hamilton MSP said:

"For years now under this SNP Government we have seen waiting times consistently stuck at crisis levels. It is ridiculous that staff have been left to deal with these extreme pressures for years on end. The Scottish Government needs to take action now.

"A&E departments are backed up, because there are so many people who are stuck in hospital and unable to leave because the care package they need is not available.

"Last month I raised the case of Margaret MacGill with the First Minister. She should have been home within 14 weeks, but she’s been in hospital for 14 months.

"You cannot fix the NHS and bring down A&E waits without fixing social care.

"Scotland's A&E patients deserve better - and with the Scottish Liberal Democrats, no matter where you are, you can vote for change with fairness at its heart by backing us on the peach regional ballot."