NHS Scotland: Record number of A&E patients wait over eight hours

A record number of hospital patients waited more than eight hours to be seen at Scotland's A&E units, according to new figures.

Statistics for the week ending 9 October showed 3,553 patients spent more than eight hours in an emergency department.

Opposition parties condemned the report, which also revealed 1,506 waited more than 12 hours.

Health Secretary Humza Yousaf said Covid continued to impact performance.

The Public Health Scotland data showed 25,684 people attended A&E, down slightly on week ending 2 October.

The Scottish government target is that 95% of patients attending A&E are seen and subsequently admitted or discharged within four hours.

But for the second week in a row that percentage was 64.2%.

Scottish Conservative public health spokeswoman Tess White said: "On Humza Yousaf's watch, Scotland's shameful A&E waiting times are only getting worse.

"The latest shocking figures show the highest ever number of people who had to wait over eight hours, and another week where over 1,500 patients waited over half a day in our emergency departments.

"This is nothing short of a scandal."

Ms White also warned A&E departments risked being "overwhelmed" this winter and described the Scottish government's recent winter plan as "wafer-thin."

The eight-hour figure compares to 3,427 in the week ending 2 October, while the 12-hour figure was four patients less than the previous seven-day period.

Scottish Labour's health spokeswoman Jackie Baillie said the statistics amounted to a "humanitarian crisis in our A&E departments".

She added: "That we are now seeing more people waiting over eight hours for treatment than ever before is a deadly portent of the coming winter.

"Despite the crisis in A&E, the health secretary has gone AWOL and only appears to provide commentary on more disarray this winter due to his inaction.

"Staff are working tirelessly, but they are being left high and dry by this failed health secretary."

Labour highlighted the situation in NHS Forth Valley as the most challenging in the county as only 39.7% of attendees were seen within four hours.

NHS Lanarkshire (54.3%) recorded the second lowest figure while only one health board, NHS Western Isles (96%), exceeded the Scottish government's target.

But Mr Yousaf stressed the ongoing problems were not unique to NHS Scotland.

He said: "A&E departments are working under significant pressure and, in common with other healthcare systems across the UK and globally, the pandemic continues to impact performance.

"Recovery from Covid will not happen overnight, which is why we are continuing to work with boards on a number of measures to reduce pressure this winter."

The health secretary said this included the recruitment of 1,000 new staff and a programme to help improve A&E performance by offering alternative routes to care.

He added: "The pressures experienced by A&E are driven by delays in discharge elsewhere in our hospitals.

"That's why a focus of our winter plan is on social care and actions to encourage integration authorities to help alleviate these delays."