Nearly 2m wait over 4 hours in A&E in the 5 years since SNP target last met

Scottish Liberal Democrat deputy leader Wendy Chamberlain has today called on the SNP to tackle long waits for A&E as she marked five years since the SNP last met its A&E waiting time target of 95% of Scots being seen within four hours.

The SNP government last met the A&E waiting time target in the week ending the 12th July 2020, at the height of lockdown when people were avoiding A&E.

Since the target was last met:

• 1,921,053 people have waited more than 4 hours at A&E

• 588,480 people have waited more than 8 hours at A&E

• 237,623 people have waited more than 12 hours at A&E

Scottish Liberal Democrats previously revealed that 12,438 people aged over 85 waited more than 12 hours at A&E in 2024.

Wendy Chamberlain said:

"Under this SNP government A&E has been mired in crisis for years. Staff are stuck working under pressure cooker conditions and patients are stuck having to wait hours for vital care.

"We are now on our fourth different Health Secretary since this SNP government last met the A&E waiting time target. Jeane Freeman, Humza Yousaf and Michael Matheson have all come and gone without making a dent and it looks as if Neil Gray will go the same way.

"If you're frustrated with the SNP making you wait to access the NHS, vote Scottish Liberal Democrats on your peach regional ballot and turf them out.

"Alongside efforts to alleviate the pressure on A&E and ambulance staff, we need to invest in care services to get people out of hospital and free up space. 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."