Crisis conditions at A&E seem set to continue indefinitely under SNP

Responding to new figures showing that in the week ending 1st March, only 62.6% of people attending A&E were seen within the 4 hour target, while 4,048 (15%) people waited over 8 hours and 1,934 (7.2%) waited over 12 hours, Alex Cole-Hamilton MSP said:

"A&E departments have been stuck in crisis conditions for years now, with little to no sign of things improving. The SNP have abandoned staff and patients and the only action the SNP government can muster is warm words.

"A&E departments are backed up because there are so many people like Margaret MacGill, who are stuck in hospital and unable to leave because the care package they need to get home is not available. I have repeatedly raised her case with the First Minister, as Margaret should have been home within 14 weeks, but she’s been in hospital for over 14 months.

"It all goes to show that you cannot fix the NHS and bring down A&E waits without fixing social care.

"Scotland's A&E patients deserve better, and by backing the Scottish Liberal Democrats on your second, peach-coloured ballot paper in May, you can get change with fairness at its heart."