Cole-Hamilton: Long waits at A&E the SNP's new normal

Responding to new figures showing only 63.4% of people attending A&E were seen within the 4 hour target in the week ending 21st September, while 3,502 people waited over 8 hours and 1,462 waited over 12 hours, Alex Cole-Hamilton MSP said:

"Long waits in A&E are the new normal under the SNP. It has been years since their targets were last met. With winter fast approaching the Scottish Government needs to take urgent action now to prevent these already long waits spiralling any further.

"We are seeing these long waits at A&E because too many people are stuck unable to leave our hospitals as they can't get the care package they need to leave safely.

"Fixing the problems in social care would help to increase capacity in hospitals and help to tackle these A&E waits. That's why Scottish Liberal Democrats fought for more money for social care in the budget and back a new UK-wide minimum wage for care workers that is £2 higher.”