Tories accuse ministers over ‘atrocious’ accident and emergency waiting times
The Scottish Government has been accused of failing to get to grips with “atrocious” waiting times in accident and emergency, as new figures showed a rise in the number of patients waiting longer than the target time for treatment.
The latest data showed that in the week ending February 23, a total of 9,794 people were in A&E for four hours or more – up from 8,587 the previous week.
The latest weekly total includes 3,707 patients who were in the emergency room for eight hours or more and 1,725 who spent 12 hours or more in A&E – with this total up by almost 60% from the total of 1,080 the previous week.
These atrocious figures highlight the SNP’s abject failure to get to grips with Scotland’s A&E waiting times crisis. As we move out of the peak winter period, the delays ought to be easing but instead they’re getting markedly worse
Overall Public Health Scotland (PHS) data showed that of the 25,871 people who went to A&E for help in the week ending February 23, less than two-thirds (62.1%) were seen and either admitted, transferred or discharged within four hours.
That performance is down from 65.2% the previous week, and continues to be well below the Scottish Government target of having 95% of patients admitted, transferred or discharged within four hours.
Scottish Conservative health spokesperson Dr Sandesh Gulhane said: “These atrocious figures highlight the SNP’s abject failure to get to grips with Scotland’s A&E waiting times crisis.”
The Tory added: “As we move out of the peak winter period, the delays ought to be easing but instead they’re getting markedly worse.
“Patients and overstretched frontline staff continue to be let down by the woeful workforce planning of successive SNP health secretaries, which is the root cause of the problem – and is resulting in needless loss of life.”
He challenged Health Secretary Neil Gray to “finally see sense and commit more resources to frontline care, and fewer on unnecessary bureaucracy”.
Labour health spokesperson Jackie Baillie also hit out at the Scottish Government, saying: “It’s clear that John Swinney’s warm words have done nothing to change the situation at the front door of hospitals.
“Our hardworking NHS staff are dealing with a continuing crisis in A&E as thousands of patients languish in corridors for eight hours or more.”
Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Alex Cole-Hamilton said: “Waiting times at A&E are still at crisis levels and staff are burning out.
“We cannot cut A&E waits if we don’t fix the problems in social care, helping people leave hospital on time and boosting capacity.”
Our A&Es continue to face significant demand, with similar pressures being felt right across the UK
Mr Gray said the Scottish Government was investing £200 million to “address backlogs, improve capacity and remove blockages keeping patients in hospital longer than necessary”.
But the Health Secretary said that A&E departments were continuing to face “significant demand”, adding that while staff were “working hard” to deal with this, some patients still had “unacceptable waits”.
His comments came as monthly data from PHS showed a slight improvement in January’s statistics.
During the first month of 2025, 66.4% of patients in A&E were admitted, transferred or discharged within four hours, up from 63.3% in December.
We are determined to reduce long waits and drive improvements – that is why we are investing £200 million to address backlogs, improve capacity and remove blockages keeping patients in hospital longer than necessary
But Mr Gray said: “Our A&Es continue to face significant demand, with similar pressures being felt right across the UK.
“Emergency department teams are working hard to ensure patients are seen as quickly as possible, however we know some people are facing unacceptable waits.”
The Health Secretary added: “We are determined to reduce long waits and drive improvements – that is why we are investing £200 million to address backlogs, improve capacity and remove blockages keeping patients in hospital longer than necessary.
“By this summer, we will deliver specialised frailty teams at the front door of every A&E in Scotland, enabling frail patients with complex needs to bypass A&E and receive the specialist care they need in the most suitable location for them – whether that be in hospital or at home – meaning better care for these patients while reducing pressure on our A&Es.”
