A&E patients waiting more than 12 hours hits record high

The number of patients waiting more than 12 hours in emergency departments has hit its highest ever level, according to official figures.

Public Health Scotland data shows 2,506 people spent more than half a day in A&E in the week ending 1 January.

That was up from 2,183 the previous week - which at the time was the highest ever figure.

The number of hospital beds occupied by patients who are medically ready to be discharged has also hit a record high.

In November last year, an average of 1,950 beds per day were used by patients waiting for social care packages.

That was the highest number since guidance came into place in 2016.

The Scottish Conservatives described the figures as "truly terrifying".

Health Secretary Humza Yousaf said "pandemic backlogs, inflation costs and Brexit influencing staff shortages had all contributed to make this winter the most challenging the NHS has ever faced".

The Public Health Scotland data shows 56% of A&E patients in Scotland were seen within the government's four-hour target.

That was down from 57.5% the previous week and the second worst on record, after the week to 18 December (55.1%).

Overall, 24,685 people attended A&E in the latest week.

Of them, 4,977 patients spent more than eight hours in an emergency department.

The health secretary said the Scottish government remained in daily contact with health boards "to ensure all possible actions are being taken to support services".

Mr Yousaf is due to make a statement at Holyrood later on Tuesday, in which he is expected to give more details of extra money to speed up hospital discharge.

The Scottish government wants to increase capacity in care homes as a temporary way of freeing up beds in hospitals.

On Monday, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said Scotland's hospitals were "almost completely full", with bed occupancy exceeding 95% last week.

She said demand for hospital beds had been driven up by "extraordinary" levels of winter flu, rising rates of Covid infections and cases of Strep A.

The first minister accepted more work needed to be done to prevent unnecessary hospital attendances and to speed up discharges.

Staffing of the NHS 24 helpline is to be increased, she said, while health boards will be backed in maximising capacity by opening GP practices on Saturdays.

The Scottish Conservatives have accused Mr Yousaf of "presiding over carnage in our A&E departments, with patients waiting longer and longer to be treated".

The party's health spokesperson Dr Sandesh Gulhane said: "My burnt-out colleagues simply cannot give any more than they are currently doing for suffering patients.

"They are being let down at every turn by Humza Yousaf's flimsy recovery plans which have failed despite his desperate claims to the contrary."

Scottish Labour said the latest figures showed NHS Scotland was "fighting for its life"

The party's health spokesperson Jackie Baillie said: "In a single week, thousands of Scots were stuck waiting more than half a day in A&E, putting lives at risk and putting staff in an impossible position.

"Delayed discharge continues to spiral and pile pressure on services, despite one empty SNP pledge after another to end the practice.

"Staff are exhausted, patients are in danger and the very future of our NHS is at stake."

It comes after a doctors' union warned Scotland's hospitals are "not safe" for patients under the current conditions.

Dr Lailah Peel, deputy chairperson of BMA Scotland, told BBC Scotland patient safety was now "at risk every day" in A&E departments.