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Scottish Government under fire after worst April on record for A&E waits

New data from Public Health Scotland showed 44,797 patients waited longer than the target time in A&E in April.

Scotland’s accident-and-emergency (A&E) departments have had the worst April on record for waiting times with the Tories claiming patients are having to “suffer shocking delays” as a result.

Official figures from Public Health Scotland showed that 44,797 patients spent more than four hours in A&E in April 2026 the highest total ever recorded for this month.

Just in excess of two-thirds (68%) of those who went to A&E for help were seen and either admitted, transferred or discharged within four hours, monthly statistics revealed.

While this was an improvement from 67.5% in March, it is a long way off the Scottish Government’s target of having 95% of patients admitted, transferred or discharged within four hours.

Compliance with this target has been “below 80% since summer 2021, Public Health Scotland noted.

April’s figures also showed that 15,389 patients 11.3% of cases in A&E were there for eight hours or more.

This includes the 6,394 patients 4.7% of cases who spent at least half a day in the emergency department.

Scottish Conservative health spokesman Miles Briggs MSP said: “These horrific figures should shame John Swinney.

“On his watch tens of thousands of patients are having to suffer shocking delays at A&E departments and the situation is only getting worse.

“Two decades of SNP incompetence has meant they have now overseen the worst A&E waiting times in April on record.”

The number of patients who spent more than four hours in A&E in the week ending May 24 (Public Health Scotland)

He added: “John Swinney and his new Health Secretary Angela Constance should be laser focused on tackling this crisis, but they’re still obsessing over another divisive independence referendum instead.”

He hit out as the latest weekly statistics showed another fall in waiting-times performance in Scotland’s A&E departments.

In the week ending May 24, some 62.9% of patients were admitted, transferred or discharged within four hours down from 64.4% the previous week and lower than the weekly average of 64.9% achieved in 2025.

As well as the 10,175 patients who were in A&E for over four hours, there were 3,574 who were there for at least eight hours and 1,445 who spent a minimum of 12 hours in A&E.

The Scottish Government has been contacted for comment.