Rutherglen and Cambuslang hospitals missing A&E targets

Official figures show NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde (NHSGGC) hospitals have failed to meet their 95 per cent target every week this year.

In particular, Rutherglen and Cambusland hospital patients who visit A&E are more likely to be forced to wait for four hours than patients who go elsewhere. Data found that on average, 89.1 per cent of patients going to A&E in Glasgow were seen within four hours, falling short of their 95 per cent target.

However, for figures relating to the week ending April 3, 766 out of 6,978 patients in Glasgow were made to wait over four hours, with 35 people waiting longer than eight hours and three people waiting over 12 hours.

Across the two regions, Glasgow Royal Infirmary performed the worst, achieving just 81.5 per cent within its target.

However, a spokesman for NHSGGC, argued: “We are fully committed to ensuring patients are seen, treated and either admitted or discharged as quickly as possible and want to thank our hard working staff for all their efforts.

“Performance figures for emergency departments, by their nature, will always fluctuate on a day to day basis. The current performance across GGC remains consistently better than the same period last year. This progress has been achieved despite the challenges winter traditionally brings nationally.

“The migration of three emergency departments becoming one at the QEUH has led to 12 hour stays in A&E falling by almost 97 per cent, while eight hours stays have decreased by more than 80 per cent over the last 12 months.

“We are confident the steps we have been putting in place will further improve waiting times.

“These steps include treating hundreds of patients at our three Minor Injury Units, which are entirely separate to emergency departments; services to support patients to return home at the weekend; and close working with local authority colleagues to ensure people are discharged as soon as they are ready.”