New study shows that A&E time limit goals being met

THE proportion of patients being treated within the target time in accident and emergency units is at its highest level since weekly monitoring was introduced.

The latest figures show that 95.6 per cent of cases were dealt with in four hours – up from 86.1 per cent when the data was first published in February.

It is the fourth week in a row that the Scottish Government’s interim target of having 95 per cent of patients in A&E admitted, transferred or discharged within four hours has been achieved.

Health Secretary Shona Robison said the improvement was “extremely promising” as she paid tribute to “hard-working” medical staff.

But she also stressed emergency departments must continue to do better in a bid to put hospitals into an “optimum position” for the busy winter period.

The full target for the fourhour treatment time limit is 98 per cent. Staff dealt with 24,282 cases, with 48 waiting eight hours or more for treatment, while two patients were there for 12 hours or more.

All but three of Scotland’s health boards achieved the 95 per cent interim target.

In NHS Lanarkshire, 92.7 per cent of patients were seen within four hours, while in NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde and NHS Shetland the totals were 94 per cent and 94.8 per cent respectively.

Eight hospitals failed to meet the four-hour target, with Wishaw General Hospital performing the worst, treating 86.1 per cent of A&E patients in this time.

Ms Robison added: “It is extremely promising that core A&E departments are maintaining the standard of seeing and treating 95 per cent of patients within four hours.”