Central Scotland MSP Stephen Kerr is urging SNP Health Secretary Humza Yousaf to “wake up and face the reality” of spiralling waiting times in accident and emergency in the Forth Valley Health Board. The latest official figures from Public Health Scotland show Forth Valley recording the worst figures of any health board in Scotland.
Across the Country the latest weekly accident and emergency statistics show that only 78.7% of patients across Scotland were seen within four hours. This was the worst performance since the first week of January 2018 and falls well below the SNP’s own target of 95%. A target that has now not been met since July 2020.
In the Forth Valley area only 65.1% were seen within the four hour target time in the week ending July 11. This plummeted to 58.3% during the following week (ending July 18). These are the worst figures of any Health Board in Scotland.
Stephen Kerr says this current situation is unsustainable and is urging SNP Health Secretary Humza Yousaf to urgently work with frontline staff in across the Forth Valley health board area to guarantee patients will be seen as quickly as possible.
Stephen Kerr said: “Humza Yousaf needs to wake up and face the reality of what is happening on the frontline in our A&E departments. Only last week he said there isn’t a crisis in Scotland’s health service. Now we see the worst accident and emergency waiting times in the country being recorded for our own health board area despite the heroic efforts of frontline staff. This cannot be allowed to continue. The health secretary needs to start doing his job, get the resources in place to support staff and ensure that patients are being seen far more quickly.
Notes:
Forth Valley 58.3% (July 18) 65.1% (July 11)- Worse, and worst of any health board.