A&E patients waiting less time for treatment

THE number of patients being treated in accident and emergency wards within a four hour target time has reached record levels.
Picture: Jane BarlowPicture: Jane Barlow
Picture: Jane Barlow

The number of 429,000 between April and June represents an increase of almost three per cent compared to the same period in 2013 and up over 5 per cent since 2008.

Scotland’s health Secretary Alex Neil said the findings showed that Scotland’s NHS was “making progress” in improving treatment times in casualty wards.

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However, the official figure also showed the NHS is treating fewer patients within a key waiting time target than it was a year ago.

In June this year, 91.1 per cent of patients across Scotland began their treatment within 18 weeks of being referred, exceeding the Scottish Government target of 90 per cent.

The figure was an improvement from the performance in April and May when 89.8 per cent and 90.7 per cent of people were treated within that timescale.

But in June last year, 91.6 per cent of patients began their treatment within 18 weeks and in June 2012 the proportion was higher still at 92.4 per cent.

Mr Neil said: “These figures show that we are making progress in speeding up access to appropriate hospital services at a time when we are seeing more people come through the front door.”