MBChB. Year 4/5. Cardiology & Cardiothoracic Surgery.
FERRET INVESTIGATION by Petra Matijevic
Women wait longer than men for emergency medical care in Scotland despite the fact they are more likely to be admitted to hospital after being seen in A&E.
The Ferret analysed data on monthly waiting time rates for women and men in 27 of 30 emergency departments in Scotland, obtained from Public Health Scotland through a freedom of information request.
Our research found that women waited twelve minutes longer than men in April 2023, with 60.5 per cent of women seen within four hours, compared to 64 per cent of men.
Women’s average wait can be up to 44 minutes longer in some emergency departments and lengthier waiting times for emergency care have been linked to worse health outcomes and increased risk of patients dying.
Critics said our findings “lifted the lid on medical misogyny” and “couldn’t be brushed under the carpet”.
The Royal College of Emergency Medicine (RCEM) said the figures were “disappointing” and it was “working to increase awareness of this issue”.
Scottish Government and NHS health boards insist emergency departments prioritise patients by clinical need, not gender, despite the figures.
