Tories condemn ‘permanent crisis’ in A&E despite 12.5% fall in longest waits

The “permanent crisis” in Scotland’s accident and emergency departments could lead the NHS to “collapse” this winter, the Conservatives have claimed.

Tory health spokesman Dr Sandesh Gulhane said “urgent action” is needed from First Minister John Swinney and Health Secretary Neil Gray on the issue, which he branded a “national scandal”.

His attack came despite the latest figures showing a 12.5% decrease in the number of patients enduring waits of 12 hours or more in A&E.

Overall, the Public Health Scotland data shows little change in the waiting times at accident and emergency departments across Scotland. Figures for the week ending August 3 show 67% of patients were seen and either admitted, transferred or discharged within four hours.

That is up very slightly from 66.9% the previous week, with performance substantially below the Scottish Government’s target of having 95% of A&E patients admitted, transferred or discharged in four hours or less.

I know that some people are still waiting too long for treatment, and I am determined to drive further improvement

The latest figures show the four-hour target was missed for 8,839 of the 26,805 people who went to the emergency department in the week ending August 3.

There were 2,635 – some 9.8% of patients – there for eight hours or more, with this down from 2,727 (10.1%) the previous week.

The number of patients with the longest waits of 12 hours or more also fell to 977, representing 3.6% of cases, with this down from 1,116 (4.1%) the previous week.

Mr Gray pointed to the reductions in the numbers experiencing these longer waits, but accepted there is “more to do” and said he is “determined to drive further improvement”.

But complaining about a third of patients still waiting over four hours in A&E “at the height of summer”, Dr Gulhane hit out at the Scottish Government and said: “After nearly two decades of SNP mismanagement, our NHS is in permanent crisis mode.”

He argued that Government “incompetence” means “thousands of Scots are dying needlessly” because of long waits in A&E.

“This is a national scandal, but John Swinney and Neil Gray still don’t have a plan to address this crisis,” Dr Gulhane said.

“Unless urgent action is taken, our NHS will collapse as we enter the winter months.

“Neil Gray needs to face the facts and back our common-sense plans to slash bureaucracy, cut red tape and surge resources to the frontline.”

Labour health spokeswoman Dame Jackie Baillie was also critical, saying: “It is disgraceful that thousands of people remain stuck on lengthy waiting lists to get help at A&E.

“The reality is that John Swinney and the SNP have no meaningful plan, no strategy, and no ideas to save our NHS.

“In a week where Nicola Sturgeon has been doing the media rounds promoting her memoirs, it is damning of her legacy that Scotland’s health service is in such a dire state.”

Mr Gray however said Scotland’s core A&E departments “have consistently been the best performing in the UK over the past decade”.

The Health Secretary added: “While performance showed a slight improvement this week, I know that some people are still waiting too long for treatment, and I am determined to drive further improvement.

“However, we saw a reduction in patients waiting over eight hours – and a 12.5% reduction in those waiting over 12 hours.

“But there is more to do and with record funding for health and social care, we are working to increase capacity and invest in measures to ensure that patients can access the care they need more quickly.

“To help ease the pressure on teams, we will provide direct access to specialist frailty teams in every emergency department by summer 2025 and expand the Hospital at Home programme to at least 2,000 beds by the end of 2026.

“These are just a few of the initiatives we are implementing to shift the focus of care from acute settings to community-based services.”