Burnout in ‘worst ever’ A&E crisis

More than 40 per cent of patients in Lanarkshire A& E departments are facing even longer waits for care.

Just 58.7 per cent of those attending A& E in Lanarkshire’s three hospitals for the week ending April 10 were seen within the four hour target.

At Wishaw General the figures were even lower with 56.9 per cent of patients being seen within four hours.

Meanwhile, in Monklands the figure was 59.5 per cent while at Hairmyres it was 60.1 per cent.

The shocking statistics come as a leading healthcare expert insists that NHS staff are burnt out and the statistics are “a desperate situation”.

Dr John Thomson, vice president of The Royal College of Emergency Medicine Scotland, said: “We are continuing to see severely poor performance in the emergency care system.

“Staff are becoming more and more burnt out. The appalling crisis in emergency care is seriously distressing.

“The public are extremely worried about these long waiting times, and rightly so, because patients are coming to harm.

“Staff continue doing all they can to deliver care and keep patients safe, but it is incredibly challenging.

“It is a desperate situation, a result of widespread shortages of staff and beds throughout the system and a crisis in social care.

“Despite exiting winter and entering spring, the situation remains dire. We have never faced a crisis worse than this.

“The intense workload is breaking staff, and the distressing circumstances are breaking their morale.

“Patients continue to face seriously long waits, and we continue to state that this crisis is worse than ever, and that patients are coming to harm.

“The government cannot let this deteriorate further. Staff and patients urgently need meaningful action now to tackle the desperate situation in emergency care and address the widespread staff shortages, the bed shortages, and the social care crisis.”