Weekly A&E statistics show slight improvement in wait times

A&E wait times in Scotland have improved, the latest figures have shown, with more people being seen within the four-hour target.

Some 67.3% of type 1 emergency department attendances were seen within four hours in the week up to May 4, compared to 66.7% the week before and 64.7% the week before that.

A total of 10.4% of those who attended A&E waited more than eight hours, the figures showed, down from 11.1% the week before and 12.5% the week before that.

And 4.2% of patients waited more than 12 hours, down from 4.8% the previous week and 5.6% the week before that.

Dr Sandesh Gulhane, the Tory health spokesperson, said Health Secretary Neil Gray should be “ashamed” that nearly a third of patients continue to wait more than four hours in emergency departments.

He said that pressure on A&E departments should be easing as summer approaches.

“These delays aren’t just statistics,” the MSP said. “They lead to tragic, avoidable deaths. Yet the SNP still don’t have a serious plan to fix it.

“It’s no wonder that this crisis is only worsening, when Humza Yousaf’s flagship recovery plan, which Nicola Sturgeon admitted was ‘awful’, has failed to address this crisis.

“Dedicated frontline staff are working flat-out, but they’re being let down by the dire workforce planning of successive SNP health secretaries.

“Patients and staff deserve better than this. It’s time Neil Gray faced reality and backed our common-sense plan to cut bureaucracy and direct resources to the frontline.”

The Health Secretary said: “Scotland’s core A&E sites have been the best performing in the UK for a decade, and today’s statistics show continued improvement since last week and based on the same week last year.

“The latest published monthly A&E figures, for March, are also at their highest level since May 2024, showing that progress is being made.

“But we know too many people are still waiting too long and we are determined to drive further improvement.

“As set out in our Programme for Government, specialist frailty teams will be established in every core Emergency Department by this summer.

“This will help ensure frail patients with complex needs get the care they need as soon as possible, while also reducing pressures on A&E.

“To shift the balance of care to the community, reduce delayed discharge and improve the flow of patients through hospital, we will expand hospital at home to at least 2,000 beds by the end of 2026.”