Cole-Hamilton: SNP have failed to get to grips with A&E crisis

Responding to new figures showing that just 67.4% of people attending A&E were seen within the 4-hour target in April, with 11.7% waiting more than 8 hours and 5.2% patients waiting more than 12 hours, Scottish Liberal Democrat leader and health spokesperson Alex Cole-Hamilton said:

"Normally as we enter the summer months of the year, A&E waiting times decrease, but there has been absolutely no progress on waiting times since last month.

“The SNP government have completely failed to get to grips with the crisis in our A&E departments.

“Patients and staff deserve better. We need to see meaningful action taken to reverse the situation.

“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 meaningfully tackle burnout among staff.”