Latest A&E wait times shocking
More than 150 people were left waiting for more than 12 hours at A&E in Forth Valley Royal in the week leading up to Christmas.
The shocking new stats come via the latest release from Public Health Scotland of their weekly waiting times report.
In the report, it is revealed that a total of 1,066 people visited A&E over the seven days around Christmas – with only 49.7 per cent seen within the four-hour target time, which is second-worst in the country ahead of only Lanarkshire.
The PHS data also records that 159 patients were left waiting for treatment at Forth Valley Royal for 12 hours or more, the second-worst mark in the whole country, again only ahead of Lanarkshire.
A spokeswoman for NHS Forth Valley told the Observer: “Like all Emergency Departments across the country, we experienced exceptionally high demand over the festive period with many acutely unwell patients who required urgent hospital treatment along with a large number of patients experiencing delays in being discharged from local hospitals.
“Despite this, our teams worked tirelessly to prioritise the most clinically urgent patients and continue to do everything possible to reduce delays.
Mid Scotland and Fife MSP Alexander Stewart said: “Everyone knows that the SNP’S Health Secretary is presiding over complete chaos in our A&E departments, but this exposes just how catastrophic his tenure has been.
“He has long given up on hitting the four-hour waiting time target, but now we see the staggering rise in patients waiting half a day or more on his watch.”
Stirling MSP Evelyn Tweed said: “I am in regular contact with NHS Forth Valley and I am acutely aware of the significant pressures they are experiencing.
“This winter has seen increases in respiratory illnesses such as flu, Covid and Strep A which are adding to normal winter pressures in A&E.
“Unfortunately this is also affecting staff in A&E.
“The staff at NHS Forth Valley are working incredibly hard to improve the A&E waiting times and I was pleased to see the most recent weekly performance figures showed a slight improvement in those being seen within the four hour target.”