LABOUR has urged Scottish ministers to “get to grips” with A&E wait times as targets continue to be missed and eight-hour waits grow.

Latest figures from Public Health Scotland show that in the week ending July 12, 66.2 per cent of patients attending A&E were admitted, transferred or discharged within the four hours against a target of 95 per cent.

While that figure represents an improvement on the 65.5 per cent figure a week earlier, the number waiting for over eight hours grew to from 2,823 to 3,028 — amounting to over one in 10 — while 1,132 languished for over 12 hours, up from 966 the previous week.

Scottish Labour health spokeswoman Dame Jackie Baillie said: “It has been six years since this SNP government last met its four-hour waiting times target, at a time when the Covid pandemic meant fewer people were attending A&E.

“For far too long, patients have had to endure agonising waits for help and yet ministers still do not have a meaningful plan to get to grips with the crisis facing our NHS.

“We need a detailed, long-term plan to end this national scandal.

“That means providing the investment it needs, supporting hard-working staff, tackling delayed discharge in our hospitals, and slashing the long wait times for operations.”

Conceding “departments continue to experience significant pressures,” the Scottish government said: “These are not unique to Scotland, with other UK nations facing similar demands.

“The Scottish government is committed to improving A&E performance and tackling delays for patients.

“That’s why we will be publishing a new national plan for improving the flow of patients through our hospitals, from the front door to discharge.”