Jackie Baillie has warned the NHS is “at breaking point” as delayed discharges locally continue to soar while the most recent figures show less than two thirds of people at the A&E unit local to Dumbarton, Alexandria, Helensburgh and Lomond were seen within the four-hour target time.

The high number of people waiting to be discharged continues to pile pressure on hospitals and risks worsening capacity issues which have also led to cancelled procedures.

The number of delayed discharges across NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde has failed to fall below 300 since last December, peaking at 378 in March which was higher than any stats recorded during the height of the Covid pandemic.

This has a direct impact on bed availability and emergency departments. In the week ending October 2^nd, just 58 percent of people who attended at the Royal Alexandra Hospital in Paisley were seen within four hours.

Shockingly, 163 people had to wait over eight hours and 33 were waiting for more than 12 hours at the Paisley emergency department where Jackie Baillie’s constituents attend. The national picture for these waits is the worst ever on record.

Dumbarton constituency MSP, Jackie Baillie said: “Humza Yousaf has shown himself thoroughly incapable of this challenge and now the NHS is in deadly freefall due to his incompetence.

“People in my constituency and across Scotland cannot continue to be let down by this incompetent government, and neither can our hardworking NHS staff. 

“The impact of delayed discharge which the SNP said they would eradicate is having a direct effect on cancelled operations and ultimately our A&E. This vicious cycle cannot continue.

“Years of SNP cuts and neglect have left our NHS unprepared for the level of demand it now faces. It is at breaking point.

“With industrial action looming we are facing a humanitarian crisis in the NHS this winter.

“It’s time for Nicola Sturgeon to put her failing Health Secretary into special measures and get to grips with this crisis.”