Scotland's A&E target figures are worst since start of 2018
- Published
Scotland's Accident and Emergency departments have recorded their worst performance since January 2018, official figures have revealed., external
In the week to 3 December, 81.2% of patients in emergency departments were admitted, transferred or discharged within the government's four-hour target.
The government wants 95% of cases to be completed within four hours of arrival.
The last time emergency departments hit that target was in July 2017.
The A&E record has been deteriorating almost weekly since September.
The latest figures show that in the week to 3 December:
There were 27,600 attendances at A&E services in NHS Scotland
81.2% of attendances at A&E services were seen and resulted in a subsequent admission, transfer or discharge within four hours
952 patients spent more than eight hours in an A&E department
336 patients spent more than 12 hours in an A&E department.
In the NHS Tayside area, 96.2% of patients were dealt with within fours hours. But in NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, less than three-quarters (74.4%) were seen within the target time.
At the flagship Queen Elizabeth University Hospital, just seven out 10 (70.5%) patients in A&E were admitted, transferred or discharged within four hours.
Scotland's Health Secretary Jeane Freeman has defended A&E performance and insisted that Scottish A&E departments have been doing better than their English counterparts.
She said a higher proportion of patients had been admitted, transferred or discharged within four hours in Scotland than in England for the last three-and-a-half years.
'Fully-stretched'
Liberal Democrat health spokesman Alex Cole-Hamilton criticised the government for putting NHS staff under too much pressure.
He said: "We are now seeing a two-year low in A&E performance.
"Doctors and nurses are fully-stretched. They can't go on like this.
"On this SNP government's watch, this target has not been met for years."
If you can't see the NHS Tracker, click or tap here, external.