Health workers praised after key A&E waiting-time target is met
Scotland’s accident-andemergency departments have met a key waiting-times target.
The latest figures show 24,764 people attended A&E in the week ending 2 July, of which 95.1 per cent were seen and either admitted, transferred or discharged within four hours. The figure is up from 94.5 per cent in the previous week and meets the Scottish Government target for 95 per cent of cases to be dealt with in four hours.
A total of 72 patients spent more than eight hours in an emergency department while just one person wait- 0 Shona Robison: ‘Challenge is to ensure target is maintained’ ed for more than 12 hours.
Health Secretary Shona Robison said: “Scotland has had the best-performing emergency departments in the UK for more than two years. This has only been pos- sible thanks to the hard work of NHS and social care workers.
“We are seeing progress across Scotland and it is encouraging that these latest weekly statistics show performance above the four-hour standard.
“However, we know that the challenge is to ensure that we maintain this target on a consistent basis as performance can fluctuate from week to week.
“That is why we are continuing to work closely with boards to take action to minimise long waits and improve patient flow through hospitals and into community care.” Multi-award-winning equity release specialist Age Partnership can help homeowners decide if equity release is right for them, how much they can release and what impact it could have on the size of their estate including their entitlement to means-tested benefits now, or in the future. Equity release may involve a lifetime mortgage or a home reversion plan. To understand the features and risks, ask for a personalised illustration. You only continue to own your own home with a lifetime mortgage, which is secured against your property. They provide initial advice for free and without obligation. Only if you choose to proceed and your case completes would a typical fee of 2% of the amount released be payable.