Worsening A&E wait times shows lack of SNP focus

Responding to new figures showing only 65.6% of A&E attendees were seen within the 4-hour target, Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Alex Cole-Hamilton said:

"The fact that A&E wait times are worsening before we even get to the autumn is a grim portent of things to come unless the SNP start focussing on the crisis in A&E.

"There is no shortage of goodwill and dedication on the part of NHS staff, but they don’t have the beds, safe staffing and resources they need.

"As health secretary Humza Yousaf comprehensively failed to get to grips with the crisis in our A&E departments, and now his government is not showing the focus needed to address this crisis.

"Michael Matheson must start taking action by dropping his government's opposition to our constructive proposals such as an urgent inquiry into the hundreds of avoidable deaths linked to the emergency care crisis, a staff burnout prevention strategy and a health and social care staff assembly."