Scot Lib Dems reveal patients enduring multi-day waits at A&E

Scottish Liberal Democrat leader and health spokesperson Alex Cole-Hamilton MSP has accused the SNP of “heaping unbearable pressure” on our health service as he revealed that patients across the country have had to endure multi-day waits at A&E.

A Scottish Liberal Democrat freedom of information asked every health board to provide the longest A&E waiting times in each of the past five years.

The request also asked for the reasons behind these waiting times.

The data provided by health boards shows that:

• In 2025/26 so far, the longest an A&E patient has waited was in NHS Highland, with a wait of more than 4 days.
• In the same period, NHS Forth Valley had a patient who waited more than 3 days, while NHS Lothian and NHS Lanarkshire had waits of almost 3 days.
• In 2024/25, there was an almost 6 day long wait in NHS Highland, while patients also waited almost 3 days in NHS Ayrshire & Arran, NHS Border, NHS Lanarkshire and NHS Lothian.
• Patients in NHS Ayrshire and Arran waited over 3 days in 2021 and 2022.
• Longest waiting times have increased in most health boards between 2021/22 and 2024/25.

Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Alex Cole-Hamilton MSP said:

“The clue is in the name of an emergency department - these people shouldn't be waiting days to be seen.

“The SNP’s failures are heaping unbearable pressure on our NHS. From speaking with A&E staff, I know they are as frustrated as anyone about having to treat patients on trolleys or in the back of ambulances.

"There are not enough beds in A&E because there are no longer the beds in longer-term wards to move them to.

"Too many beds in longer-term wards are occupied by people medically ready to leave but who can’t because there are not enough care workers or care packages to enable them to go home.

“These are people like Margaret MacGill, whose case I have repeatedly raised with the First Minister. Margaret should have been out of hospital within 14 weeks- she’s now been there for 14 months.

“You cannot bring down these catastrophic waits at A&E without fixing social care.

“Only the Scottish Liberal Democrats have a plan to properly invest in care, raising wages and making it a profession of choice. Only by fixing care can we bring down waits across our NHS, including in emergency departments. You can vote for that plan in May by backing us on your second, peach-coloured ballot paper.”