Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton Constituency, has raised fresh concerns as A&E figures are the worst ever on record. Statistics published this morning have revealed the worst weekly and monthly A&E statistics since records began.

The statistics show that only 69.6% of attendances at A&E services were seen and resulted in a subsequent admission, transfer or discharge within 4 hours for the week ending on the 24^th October. This is lower than the previous record low of 70.9% from the previous week. Furthermore, 1,948 patients across Scotland waited more than 8 hours, with 630 not being seen for 12 hours – the worst weekly figures on record.

NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde hit a new low with just 66% of patients being seen within 4 hours for the week ending 24^th October. This is the second worst performing health board in Scotland, with just NHS Forth Valley seeing fewer patients within the 4 hour target.

The statistics have also shown that performance against the four-hour target was at a record monthly low of only 76.1% in September 2021.

Across the whole of September, 6,779 (5.3%) patients spent more than 8 hours in an A&E department and 1,946 (1.5%) patients spent more than 12 hours in an A&E department.

Commenting, Scottish Labour health spokesperson and Dumbarton MSP Jackie Baillie said: 

“A&E services are in crisis, with the situation rapidly deteriorating with every passing week.

“Hard-pressed frontline staff have been sounding the alarm for months, but the Health Secretary has spectacularly failed to take action.

“Lives are on the line now, and the best the Health Secretary can do is draft in physiotherapists and students to plug the staffing gaps that have grown on his watch.

“Humza Yousaf is a Health Secretary without a workable plan, so we have a health service in freefall. Action must be taken now.”