January 2026 the worst month on record at A&E

Responding to new figures showing January 2026 to be the worst month on record at A&E, with only 65.1% of people attending A&E seen within the 4 hour target, while 19,806 (15.2%) people waited over 8 hours, a new record, and a staggering 10,374 (8%) waited over 12 hours, also a new record, Alex Cole-Hamilton MSP said:

"Despite all the spin from the SNP, we are still seeing new records being set for long waits at A&E. When the SNP came to power, half day waits were a rarity, this January saw more than 10,000 people wait half a day. That's hundreds every single day.

"A&E departments are backed up because there are so many people like Margaret MacGill, who are stuck in hospital and unable to leave because the care package they need to get home is not available. I have repeatedly raised her case with the First Minister, as Margaret should have been home within 14 weeks, but she’s been in hospital for 14 months.

"It all goes to show that you cannot fix the NHS and bring down A&E waits without fixing social care.

"Scotland's A&E patients deserve better, and by backing the Scottish Liberal Democrats on your second, peach-coloured ballot paper in May, you can get change with fairness at its heart."