Perpetual A&E crisis shows you cannot fix NHS without fixing social care

Responding to new figures showing that in the week ending 8th February, with only 61.4% of people attending A&E seen within the 4 hour target, while 4,212 (15.9%) people waited over 8 hours and 2,095 (7.9%) waited over 12 hours, Alex Cole-Hamilton MSP said:

"Under this SNP Government our A&E departments are trapped in what feels like a state of perpetual crisis. Waits have remained extremely long for years on end with little sign of improvement.

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

"You cannot fix the NHS and bring down A&E waits without fixing social care.

"Scotland's A&E patients deserve better - and with the Scottish Liberal Democrats, no matter where you are, you can vote for change with fairness at its heart by backing us on the peach regional ballot."