Radical proposal worthy of debate

THE ISSUE ofA&E waiting times once again rocketed to the top of the political agenda yesterday.

While some health boards — most notably NHS Tayside — have the situation well under control, others are struggling to cope.

In Fife, waiting times remain worryingly long and new weekly statistics released yesterday show that seven patients waited more than 12 hours to be treated. Tackling the issue has been a key priority for the SNP. Their success, or otherwise, remains a bone of contention among opposition parties.

Yesterday Jenny Marra insisted the figures serve to prove the people of Scotland are being “let down” by those in power.

Citing several “horror stories”, she claimed accident and emergency departments are “in crisis”.

While there may indeed be issues, what exactly to do to improve the situation is far less clear.

The Tories, however, think they have a solution — and it is focused on “recovery centres” — arguably more accurately described as drunk tanks.

Anyone who has visited an accident and emergency department at almost any time of the day or night will be all too aware that patients heavily under the influence of alcohol make up a fair proportion of those attending. As such the proposals may not be without some merit. The party’s health spokesman, Jackson Carlaw, suggests that these specialist units— already popular inAmerica andAustralia — may prove effective in taking the pressure of A&E departments, where staff would be freed up to deal with genuine emergencies.

It is certainly an intriguing idea and is surely at least worthy of further debate.