Cole-Hamilton: SNP/Green Government presiding over worst ever A&E waits

Responding to new figures showing that during December 2022, only 62.1% of patients in Scotland's A&E departments were seen within the four-hour target time, which is the lowest monthly figure on record, Scottish Liberal Democrat health spokesperson Alex Cole-Hamilton has called on the SNP/Green Government to “wake up and smell the coffee” on the emergency care crisis.

The Royal College of Emergency Medicine previously estimated that long waits contributed to hundreds of avoidable deaths in 2022.

Alex Cole-Hamilton said:

"These figures highlight the sharp crisis our A&E departments face.

"We know that long waits were a factor in hundreds of avoidable deaths last year and if action is not taken swiftly, there could be more this year.

“Yet, Humza Yousaf has voted down Scottish Liberal Democrat calls for an urgent inquiry into the avoidable deaths linked to the crisis in emergency care and for a staff burnout prevention strategy, while ignoring our calls for a staff assembly that puts their expertise at the heart of our route out of this crisis.

“It is frightening to think what has to happen for this SNP/Green Government to wake up and smell the coffee. If Humza Yousaf is not able to change tack and turn the tides on this crisis, then he will have to go.”

ENDS

Notes to editors:

You can find the latest A&E figures here