News Story

The number of people waiting more than four hours in A&E has hit its second highest level on record, according to new figures.

Statistics released on Tuesday show 11,811 people waited longer than the four-hour target time to be admitted in the week to August 30, which was 61% of the 30,279 attendances.

The only week where more people waited over four hours was in mid-December 2022.

Responding to the figures, Health Secretary Angela Constance said the “status quo cannot continue”.

Elsewhere, 1,880 people waited longer than 12 hours in the latest week up from 1,647 the week before and the number of people waiting more than eight hours increased from 3,977 to 4,457 in one week.

Ms Constance said: “Long waits are unacceptable and the Scottish Government is committed to improving A&E performance and tackling long delays.

“While the challenges facing Scotland are not unique compared to the rest of the UK, I am focused on ensuring people get the care they need as quickly as possible and I am clear the status quo cannot continue.

“That is why last week I published a new national plan to improve the flow of patients through hospitals. It’s also why our reforms of the NHS will focus directly on improving services for patients.”

The Scottish Government announced last week it plans to launch an overhaul of the health service, including cutting the number of territorial health boards from 14 to just two.

Scottish Labour interim leader Dame Jackie Baillie said the Scottish Government “has no solutions” for the “dangerously long waits” in A&E.

“Despite all the warm words we heard during the election, this summer has been one of the worst on record in A&E,” she added.

“John Swinney must get a grip of this crisis, support hardworking NHS staff and deliver the health service patients deserve.”

Scottish Liberal Democrat health spokesman Adam Harley stressed the need for reform in social care.

“These waits are totally unacceptable and are happening because too many hospital beds are occupied by patients who can’t get the care package they need to return home,” he said.

“John Swinney needs to make sure that any NHS reform directly addresses the daily pressures our NHS is facing and tackles the crisis in social care.

“That’s the only way we can help people leave hospital on time, free up bed space and get everyone the care they need, when they need it.”

Scottish Tory health spokesman Miles Briggs urged the First Minister to “explain how their reforms will actually improve services for patients”.

He said: “While John Swinney tries to work out the detail of his NHS reforms, the reality right now is a permanent crisis in A&E under his leadership.

“Waiting times have worsened once again this week, despite the best efforts of dedicated frontline staff.

“Cutting bureaucracy in the health service and getting more money to frontline services is something we can support, but Swinney and his ministers have mismanaged our NHS for two decades.

“It is simply not good enough for him to announce sweeping changes but fail to answer basic questions on what he is ultimately planning to do.