A&E wait time performance remains just above record low

Scotland's weekly accident and emergency waiting time performance figures remain slightly above the record low seen at the end of October, but they are still well below the target.

For the week ending November13, performance against the four-hour target for admission, transfer or discharge stood at 65.3 per cent.

This was up slightly from the previous week's figure of 65.1 per cent.

The figure hit a record low during the final week of october when it dipped to 63.1 per cent.

In the most recent figures, attendances rose to 26,280, up by more than 1,000 on the previous week.

Health Secretary Humza Yousaf has warned the A&E figures will "fluctuate" over the winter as pressures mount on the NHS.

Opposition politicians have called for him to quit due to the decline in A&E waiting time performance.

The Scottish Government's target is for 95 per cent of patients to be admitted, transferred or discharged within four hours.

Responding to the latest data, Mr Yousaf said: "This week we have seen increased pressure on services, with overall attendancesrising by more than 1,000.

"Despite this there has been a further improvement in performance over four hours and a decrease in patients waiting more than eight hours. we have also seen a 23.5 per cent drop in the number of patients waiting over 12 hours.

"This is welcome, but I am clear we will continue to see fluctuations in performance over winter.

"Delayed discharge is the single biggest factor driving up A&E waits and we are working with health boards to ensure people leave hospital without delay, freeing up vital beds for those who need them most."

He said a £600 million plan aims to recruit 1,000 new staff for the NHS.

Scottish Conservative health spokesman Dr Sandesh Gulhane said: "These dire statistics expose yet again how Humza Yousaf is presiding over complete chaos in our A&E departments.

"Despite the best efforts of my colleagues on the front line, more and more lives are being needlessly lost and the responsibility for that lies squarely with the failing Health Secretary.”