Gray under fire over ‘dangerously long’ waits in accident and emergency

The Scottish Government has come under fire over the number of patients experiencing “dangerously long waits” in A&E – despite figures showing an improvement against targets.

Official data for the week ending April 13 showed of the 26,867 cases dealt with at accident and emergency, more than two thirds (68.6%) were seen and either admitted, transferred or discharged within four hours.

That is up from 67.1% the previous week, and is higher than the weekly average of 64.7% of patients being admitted, transferred or discharged inside four hours that was achieved in 2024.

Health Secretary Neil Gray noted there has been a 4.2% increase in performance in Scotland’s A&E departments since the same time last year.

It is intolerable that with the winter peak long gone over 1,000 people every week are waiting more than 12 hours to be seen in A&E on the SNP’s watch

But with the Public Health Scotland figures showing that the four-hour target was missed for 8,436 patients in the week ending April 13 – and that 2,507 patients spent eight hours or more in A&E over the course of the week with 1,040 there for a minimum of 12 hours – both Labour and the Conservatives raised concerns.

Scottish Conservative health spokesperson Dr Sandesh Gulhane said: “It is intolerable that with the winter peak long gone over 1,000 people every week are waiting more than 12 hours to be seen in A&E on the SNP’s watch.”

Dr Gulhane, who is a GP as well as an MSP, added: “We know, as sure as night follows day, that these huge delays lead to needless loss of life, yet still Neil Gray fails to take meaningful action to address this crisis.

“Dedicated frontline staff are being let down by the dire workforce planning of successive SNP health secretaries.

“This is the direct result of their mismanagement, neglect, and complete lack of vision for the future of Scotland’s NHS.”

He urged Scottish ministers to “invest more in frontline care, and less in pointless bureaucracy, to finally tackle these unacceptable waits”.

Labour health spokesperson Jackie Baillie was also critical of the Scottish Government, blasting: “Under the SNP A&E is stuck in a state of constant crisis.

“Patients are being put in danger week in week out, and staff are exhausted and demoralised.”

She said: “The SNP cannot become complacent while thousands of Scots are still facing dangerously long waits for urgent care.”

Mr Gray said that, while performance had improved in the most recent figures, “A&E departments continue to face sustained pressure with high levels of hospital occupancy impacting patient flow and causing delays”.

However, he stated: “Despite this, more than two-thirds of patients were seen within the four-hour target and we have seen a 4.2% increase in performance since the equivalent week last year.”

The Health Secretary accepted that “too many people are facing unacceptable waits” but said the Government was investing £200 million to “drive improvements, enhance capacity and tackle delayed discharge”.

Mr Gray insisted: “We remain in close contact with all boards to ensure they have the necessary measures in place to cope with any peaks in demand.

“We are shifting the balance of care from acute to community and are expanding Hospital at Home to at least 2,000 beds by the end of 2026.

“We will also deliver direct access to specialist frailty teams in every A&E in Scotland by summer 2025 – reducing waiting times for frail patients with complex needs and ensuring they receive the specialist care they need in the most suitable location for them.”