Cole-Hamilton: Flatlining A&E performance needs urgent attention

Responding to new figures showing that only 63.4% of patients were seen across Scotland within the 4 hour target Scottish Liberal Democrat health spokesperson Alex Cole-Hamilton said:

“This crisis in our A&E departments has been rumbling on for years and now spans multiple health secretaries. The last few weeks of flatlining performance in our A&E departments shows that more of the same simply won't cut it for the patients and staff.

"The SNP have been distracted by their obsession with breaking up the UK and by the crisis in their own party, but these figures ought to snap their attention back to where it really matters: the NHS.

"We need to see urgent action from Michael Matheson to resolve the crisis in our A&E departments. That should start by dropping his government's opposition to our constructive proposals such as an urgent inquiry into the hundreds of avoidable deaths linked to the emergency care crisis, a burnout prevention strategy and a health and social care staff assembly."