Scottish A&E waits at highest level at the end of 2017

The number of people waiting more than four hours in Scotland’s A&E units reached record high levels in the final week of 2017.

Just 78 per cent of patients across Scotland were seen within the target time, the latest figures reveal. This is well below the Scottish government’s 95 per cent target, and the lowest since figures began in February 2015.

In the same week in 2016 there were 92.5 per cent treated within four hours.

The latest figures for the week ending 31 December show there were 25,865 attendances at emergency departments across Scotland. Of these, 5,686 were not dealt with within the four-hour target.

The statistics show that 4.5 per cent of patients spent more than eight hours in an emergency department, while 1.1 per cent spent more than 12 hours in A&E.

The worst performing health board area was NHS Forth Valley which saw just 57.3 per cent within the target time.

Shona Robinson, Health Secretary, told BBC Scotland: “There were real pressures but despite that nearly eight out of 10 patients are still being seen, treated and discharged within four hours.

“That is a huge achievement for staff, given these winter pressures.”

The Scottish Conservatives said the latest figures were ‘nothing short of a disgrace’.