Cole-Hamilton: SNP ministerial disinterest leaves A&E in crisis

Responding to new figures showing only 64.3% of people attending A&E were seen within the 4 hour target in the week ending 14th April, while 3,092 people waited over 8 hours and 1,341 waited over 12 hours, Scottish Liberal Democrat leader and health spokesperson Alex Cole-Hamilton said:

"The SNP have completely failed to fix our A&E departments. Years of ministerial disinterest are coming home to roost and leaving A&E departments stuck in crisis.

"At this time of year, you would expect to see waiting times improve as we get past the busy winter period, but it has barely changed.

"Patients and staff alike deserve better than this mismanagement. We need to finally see meaningful action taken to reverse this situation.

"Scottish Liberal Democrats would overhaul the NHS Recovery Plan, bring forward an urgent inquiry into the hundreds of avoidable deaths linked to the emergency care crisis and implement measures which will meaningfully tackle burnout among staff.”