LIVES are being put at risk as Scotland’s targets for accident and emergency waits have been missed for 1,274 days running, Scottish Labour warned today.
Public Health Scotland’s latest figures covering the week up to December 17 show that only 61.7 per cent of the 24,927 unplanned visits to hospital emergency departments were dealt with in four hours or under.
This is despite a SNP-Green Scottish government 95 per cent target.
Stats show that 3,719 (6.9 per cent) waited more than eight hours and 1,708 (14.9 per cent) more than 12 hours to be admitted, treated or discharged.
Scottish Labour public health spokeswoman Carol Mocha repeated her calls for action on delayed discharge and greater staff support.
She said: “Every week lives are being put at risk by long A&E waits, but the SNP is still failing to act.
“This will be one of the most difficult winters in our NHS’s history, but we are stuck with a distracted and dishonest health secretary.
“Patients and staff alike are being failed by this disastrous SNP government.”
Health Secretary Michael Matheson said:“I am clear that performance remains below the levels we all wish to see, and we continue to work closely with Boards to support delivery of sustained improvements.”
The Scottish government was contacted for comment.
