Why 'terrifying' winter lies ahead as Scotland's emergency departments record worst August ever

The Scottish Government has come under fire after accident and emergency (A&E) waiting times figures for August were the worst ever recorded for that month.

The Liberal Democrats claimed the data showed the NHS was “teetering on the brink”, while the Tories claimed the prospects for the coming winter – for both staff and patients – were “terrifying”.

The opposition parties hit out after Public Health Scotland statistics showed of the 133,454 people who went to A&E for help in August, 69.4 per cent were seen and either admitted, transferred or discharged within four hours.

The NHS is 'teetering on the brink' as worrying figures for August have been recorded. Picture: PA | PA

That is the lowest percentage recorded for the month of August in figures which go back to to 2007 – and is well below the Scottish Government target of having 95 per cent of patients admitted, transferred or discharged in four hours or less.

But 40,794 patients spent longer than that in A&E in August – with 13,303 there for eight hours or more and 5,401 there for a minimum of 12 hours.

Scottish Conservative health spokesperson Dr Sandesh Gulhane said: “SNP ministers are continuing to preside over a permanent crisis in Scotland’s A&E departments.”

He added: “Tens of thousands of patients waited too long to be seen during August, so the prospect of what winter will bring for suffering patients and my frontline colleagues is terrifying.”

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Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Alex Cole-Hamilton said: “The summer usually sees shorter waiting times at A&E, but this year we saw the worst ever waiting times for the month of August.

“Under the SNP, the NHS is teetering on the brink, staff are overwhelmed, and thousands are waiting far too long to be seen. As we are now moving quickly towards the winter months we have to see urgent action from the SNP now to prevent a crisis in just a few months’ time.”

In a sign of the worsening situation, since August 2017 the numbers waiting four hours or more has increased by six times (6,743 to 39,096).

Dr John-Paul Loughrey, Royal College of Emergency Medicine vice-president for Scotland, said: “It once was that the summer months provided some respite from the stresses experienced in emergency departments, but those days are long gone.

“Yet again the figures show the reality of the pressure we have been dealing with this summer, which is on a level with what we would have experienced during the busiest winter months just a few years ago. Overcrowding in our A&Es is now at winter crisis levels all year round.

“The alarm bells are sounding loudly as winter approaches, and the Government must respond.”

Separate figures for the week ending September 22 showed that just under two thirds (65.4 per cent) of the 27,192 patients in A&E were admitted, transferred or discharged within four hours

Health Secretary Neil Gray said: “Although we have the best performing core A&E departments in the UK, performance is below the level we all wish to see.

“Services are facing sustained pressure and this is not unique to Scotland – with similar challenges being felt right across the UK. As we head towards the winter period, we are continuing to work closely with and support NHS boards to reduce long waits.

“Through our winter plan, a record number of NHS 24 call handlers will be available to direct people to the most appropriate care, helping reduce unnecessary A&E attendances.

“We are also working to address delayed discharge in hospitals with an increased focus on effective discharge planning.”

The health secretary added: “This year’s Scottish Budget provides more than £19.5 billion for health and social care and an extra £500 million for frontline boards.”