A&Es SUFFER 2ND WORST MONTH EVER
‘Lives on the line’ as under 70% seen in four hours
SCOTLAND’S A&E departments have recorded their second-worst performance since records began.
Just 69.7 per cent of patients were seen and treated within four hours of arriving at emergency departments – only 0.1 per cent better than the worst total on record.
And while the Scotland-wide picture was bad, some individual hospitals recorded far worse figures. At Forth Valley Hospital in Larbert, near Falkirk, just 49.2 per cent were seen in the target waiting time.
A total of 7275 patients waited more than four hours to be seen in the week ending December 12, with 1803 of those waiting more than eight hours and 598 still waiting after 12 hours.
Scottish Labour’s health spokeswoman Jackie Baillie said: “Despite warning after warning, (Health Minister) Humza Yousaf has entirely failed to act – lives are now on the line due to his inaction.
“With Omicron cases set to surge, we urgently need greater support for A&E services and the staff that work in them.”
Patients waiting for specialist treatment, such as physiotherapy, should not wait longer than four weeks for their first appointment but the latest figures show just 52.8 per cent received an appointment within the target time.
Dr John Thomson, vicepresident of the Royal College of Emergency Medicine Scotland, said: “We are deeply concerned.
“Our fear is that staff absences due to Covid may prevent the health service from delivering effective care.
“Staff are doing all they can to deliver effective care and to keep patients safe.”
The Scottish Government has been approached for comment.
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