Cole-Hamilton: A&E must not keep being ignored

Responding to new figures showing only 65.3% of people attending A&E were seen within the 4 hour target in week ending 5th May, while 3,351 people waited over 8 hours and 1,480 waited over 12 hours, Scottish Liberal Democrat leader and health spokesperson Alex Cole-Hamilton said:

"While we may have a new First Minister, this is the same cabinet that has failed to tackle A&E for years. The crisis in our A&E departments must not continue to be ignored.

"Patients and staff alike have had to put up with SNP ministerial disinterest for years on end, they all deserve better than this.

"We need to see meaningful action finally taken to reverse this situation, not just more talk from the SNP government.

"Scottish Liberal Democrats would overhaul the NHS Recovery Plan, bring forward an urgent inquiry into the hundreds of avoidable deaths linked to the emergency care crisis and implement measures which will meaningfully tackle burnout among staff.”