A&E target missed for 2 years
Last updated 28th Jul 2019
More than 280,000 patients have waited too long for treatment in accident and emergency since wait time targets were last achieved two years ago, the Liberal Democrats have said.
The Scottish Government's A&E target is for 95% of patients to either be admitted, transferred or discharged within four hours, but this goal has not been achieved since the week ending July 30, 2017.
Liberal Democrat health spokesman Alex Cole-Hamilton said it is "infuriating'' the target has not been met since then.
He said more investment in mental health services, primary care and social care could help cut the number of patients turning up at A&E units.
He was speaking after the Lib Dems calculated 281,241 patients had spent more than four hours in A&E since the waiting times target was last achieved.
This includes 28,945 patients who waited more than eight hours, and 5,833 who were there for 12 hours or longer.
Mr Cole-Hamilton said: "It is infuriating for patients, and health professionals, that it is now two years since A&E performance targets were met. In that time more than a quarter of a million people have waited too long in A&E.
"A year ago we were welcoming a new Health Secretary to the role. Sadly, under Jeane Freeman we have seen no progress in tackling long waits.
"The average weekly performance against the A&E target has actually worsened since her appointment.
"Doctors and nurses work incredibly hard, but they can only do so much. Social care, mental health and primary care services are all crying out for more investment. Boosting these would reduce the need for some patients to attend A&E and instead help them access the specialist services they need.''
Health Secretary Jeane Freeman said: "We are continuing to see higher attendances every week but, despite this, Scotland's core A&E departments continue to be the best performing in the UK, and have been for more than four years.
"This year the Scottish Government is investing record levels of over #14 billion in health and care services, with NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde's funding having increased by 2.6% to over #2.2 billion.
"We will continue to drive improvements through our £850 million Waiting Times Improvement plan.'