A Lanarkshire MSP has accused the Scottish Government of “being unprepared” for winter following the release of the latest NHS Accident and Emergency figures.
The most recent weekly figures also confirm that 15 per cent of all accident and emergency patients waited over eight hours to be seen, while 257 individuals waiting more than half a day.
Described as a “deeply worrying” start to the winter season by Scottish Labour’s Monica Lennon, she said that these statistics should be a wake-up call for the Scottish Government to be proactive and utilise the extra £789 million of health-related funding provided to Scotland by the UK Budget.
The Central Scotland list MSP said: “These awful A&E waiting times must be a wake-up call to complacent and distracted SNP ministers.
“With hundreds of patients in Lanarkshire waiting twelve hours or more just to be treated, the warning lights are already flashing on our NHS.
“It is deeply worrying that this SNP government does not appear prepared to deal with another challenging winter.
“After 14 years of Tory austerity, the UK Labour government has delivered a record Budget settlement for Scotland including almost £800 million of health-related funding this year and an additional £1.72 billion for our NHS next year.
“The Scottish Government must not waste this opportunity because patients and hardworking healthcare workers deserve better.”
For the week ending November 17, the busiest Lanarkshire hospital, University Hospital Wishaw, had 1,479 people attend A&E with just 54.6 per cent being seen within four hours.
In addition, 322 patients had to wait more than eight hours and 153 people had to wait 12 hours for treatment.
Over in East Kilbride, University Hospital Hairmyres saw 1259 patients with just 55.2 per cent being seen within the four hour target.
Hairmyres also had 14.7 per cent of patients waiting eight hours and 6.2 per cent waiting half a day to be seen.
At University Hospital Monklands, 63.1 per cent of patients were seen within the four hour target.
Almost eight per cent waited eight hours while 2.3 per cent had to wait 12 hours.
In the previous week, all three Lanarkshire hospitals failed to reach 60 per cent.
In Wishaw, 53.8 per cent were seen within four hours; Monklands was lower at 53.6 per cent while Hairmyres scored 56.4 per cent.
The Scottish Government target is 95 per cent of patients being seen within four hours.
In response, Health Secretary Neil Gray, who also represents the Airdrie & Shotts constituency, said: “We have the best performing core A&E departments in the UK, and have done for the last eight years.
“However, performance is not of the standard we all expect and we continue to work closely with NHS Boards to support a reduction in long waits.
“The sustained pressure services face is not unique to Scotland – with similar challenges being felt across the UK.
“This winter 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.
“The Scottish Budget this year provides more than £19.5 billion for health and social care and an extra £500 million for frontline boards.”
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