The number of patients waiting in A&E for longer than the SNP’s four hour target is “still far too high” according to Brian Whittle MSP.
The South Scotland MSP expressed his frustration at the Scottish Government’s failure to bring waiting times down as the latest weekly figures showed that more than a quarter (26.6%) of A&E patients across Scotland waited more than four hours to be seen.
In NHS Ayrshire & Arran 27.4% of patients waited more than four hours. This figure is in sharp contrast to the SNP’s target that no more than 5% of patients should wait more than four hours. The target has not been achieved since July 2020.
Brian believes the figures, which have remained stubbornly high, show that the SNP Government’s efforts aren’t getting the job done. He went on to urge the Health Secretary to work with NHS staff to get waiting times under control.
Brian Whittle MSP said:
“Despite all the promises we’ve heard from the Scottish Government, the number of people waiting too long at A&E is still far too high.
Time and again, we’ve heard Humza Yousaf talk about his NHS Recovery Plan as the tool that will fix everything, but it’s clear from these figures that it’s just not getting the job done.
The longer these figures remain persistently high, the more harm risks being done to patients and the more pressure NHS staff have to bear.
The Health Secretary needs to stop hiding behind a plan that isn’t working and do what’s required to bring these figures under control.”
