New figures show that the NHS in Scotland is under intense pressure, as just 60% of patients attending A&E were seen within the target time.
According to NHS Scotland, A&E patients should be admitted, discharged, or transferred within four hours of arrival.
But, figures from Public Health Scotland show that in the week leading to December 31, only 60.8% of people were seen within the time frame. Meanwhile, more than 1,200 patients had to wait over 12 hours to be seen – an increase from 964 the week before. The figures also show that the number of people waiting for longer than eight hours rose from 2584 to 3178.
Health Secretary Michael Matheson said the winter A&E pressures were “not unique to Scotland”.
Matheson said:
“Although we are seeing a slightly better performance than this time last year, particularly in terms of the number of long waits, we absolutely recognise that the system remains under pressure, and waiting times are longer than we want them to be for some patients.”
“We are determined to provide boards with the support they need to manage continued seasonal pressure on services.”
Mr. Matheson explained that hospital bed occupancy continues to be a ‘major factor’ in the performance of Scotland’s NHS, but hospital boards are being supported to maximise their capacity.
Hospital at Home services have been expanded to help more people receive care at home or as close to home as possible, with the aim to relieve pressure at A&E departments.
But according to figures, the Royal College of Emergency Medicine (RCEM) calculated there will be an excess death for every one in 72 patients who spend between eight and 12 hours in an emergency department.
The RCEM has estimated that last year, 1,635 Scots died needlessly due to A&E pressures, with 50 excess deaths being recorded a week during the winter pressures.
Dr Fiona Hunter, vice chair of RCEM Scotland, said long delays in A&E are “deeply distressing and deeply concerning,” and are often associated with “patient harm and patient deaths”.
“Staff do all they can to mitigate against these harms and ensure patients receive effective and quality care, but the current conditions remain extremely challenging,” she said.
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