Latest A&E performance

Patient waiting times in A&E departments reduced during the month of April and remained steady for the week ending 24 May.

Figures published today show that in April, 92.8 per cent of people were seen and subsequently admitted, transferred or discharged within four hours. This is a slight improvement from 92.2 per cent in March.

For the week ending 24 May, 92 per cent of people were seen within four hours at core A&E sites across Scotland. This figure remains the same as the previous week.

Health Secretary Shona Robison said:

“Today’s figures show A&E performance is remaining steady, with improvement over the month from March to April.

“The monthly figure has improved by nearly six percentage points since January – showing that our NHS staff are continuing to work hard towards delivering a first class service for Scotland.

“Furthermore, weekly performance has remained stable with 92 per cent of patients being seen, treated and discharged or admitted within four hours. Long waits over eight hours have significantly lessened by over 75 per cent since weekly reporting began in February.

“It is vital that, with on-going support from the Scottish Government, health boards build on improvements made since the winter and continue to perform well across Scotland to ensure they are in the best position heading into next winter – while focusing on sustaining the reduced waiting times we have recently seen and moving towards meeting our world leading targets.

“The launch of the new six essential actions approach to improving unscheduled care last month couldn’t be more timely and with the appointment of our national and local teams, will support further improvements over the summer period.

“The six essential actions have already underpinned improvements in a number of health boards and will work to minimise long waits in A&E. It will also look to ensure best practice is installed throughout the hospital system, supporting joined up work across health boards to address wider issues of patient flow through hospital and will ensure the whole NHS system works together effectively. This approach is being supported centrally and locally with staff dedicated to improve patient care and flow.”