Baillie: A&E waiting time targets still being missed

AmbulanceNew figures show that the Scottish Government would fail to meet their revised targets on accident and emergency waiting times.

Scottish Labour’s Health spokeswoman, Jackie Baillie, said: “For almost four years now targets have been missed in A&E departments across Scotland. The SNP’s only solution so far has been to downgrade targets, but even their revised numbers would not be achieved based on these latest figures.

“This is no way to run a health service. If targets are not achieved they cannot simply be revised, action must be undertaken to tackle the problem. Instead we have cuts to budgets and nursing staff, and pressure on our medical professionals.

“The purpose of these targets was to provide the best possible treatment for patients and ensure a duty of care was being met, this is not happening. You just can’t trust the SNP with our NHS.”

These statistics cover the period before the downgrading of the target from 98% of people to wait no longer than 4 hours to 95%.

During the quarter ending 31 March 2013, the proportion of new and unplanned attendances at all A&E services across Scotland that were seen and discharged within 4 hours was: 89.7% January (the lowest ever), 91.9% February and 91.9% March.

With this performance they would even be breaching their new 95% target.

In March 2013 four NHS Boards achieved the waiting time standard of 98% of patients admitted, transferred or discharged from A&E within 4 hours.  The last time compliance was met across Scotland was September 2009.

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Follow Jackie on Twitter: @jackiebmsp

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