MSP Jackie Baillie claims Health Secretary Humza Yousaf is keeping his head down.
By Lucy Ashton
The Health Secretary is ‘missing in action’, Scottish Labour said today, as statistics have revealed that over 500 people have waited over 12 hours for A&E treatment in a single week.
More than a tenth of these faced the 12-hour wait for treatment at the Royal Alexandra Hospital in Paisley.
Statistics published this morning have shown that during the week ending 27th February 2022 only 70.8 percent of attendances at A&E services were seen and resulted in a subsequent admission, transfer or discharge within four hours.
This figure was even lower at the RAH, where patients from Dumbarton, the Vale, Balloch, Helensburgh and Lomond attend, with just 65.6 percent seen within the Scottish Government’s own four-hour target.
Some 114 patients spent more than eight hours in the Paisley A&E department and 52 spent more than 12 hours in the emergency unit at the RAH.
Scottish Labour has said that Humza Yousaf, the Health Secretary, is ‘missing in action’ and has allowed crisis to become the ‘new normal’ in A&E departments.
Jackie Baillie, Dumbarton constituency MSP, said: “Another week, another clear sign that Humza Yousaf is failing as Scotland’s Health Secretary.
“Every week, hundreds of Scots are waiting over 12 hours to be seen at A&E despite the heroic efforts of staff – including more than 50 at Paisley’s Royal Alexandra Hospital where patients from my constituency attend.
“Frontline A&E staff have repeatedly called for help from the Health Secretary, but he has turned his back on them time and time again.
“Every week, lives are being put in jeopardy and the Health Secretary is missing in action.
“We cannot allow crisis to be the new normal in Scotland’s A&E departments – Yousaf must act now before lives are lost.”