NHS CRISIS CONTINUES AS MATHESON CASE RUMBLES ON

By Bill Heaney

Scottish Labour has called again today for Health Secretary Michael Matheson to go as NHS waiting lists hit another record high.

By the end of the quarter ending September 30, a staggering 828,398 Scots were stuck on NHS waiting lists – more than one in every seven Scots.

These waiting lists are at an all-time high after rising by 11,790 since the last quarter and by 182,448 since 2021.

The number of people facing long waits also rose again, despite the SNP government’s targets to eradicate them, with 80,673 people now stuck waiting more than a year – an extra 3,572 people compared to the previous quarter.

Michael Matheson – SNP – Falkirk West Pic – Andrew Cowan/Scottish Parliament

Dumbarton MSP Jackie Baillie, Health Secretary Michael Matheson and Alex Cole-Hamilton.

Other statistics published this morning have shown Scotland’s A&E services are also on the brink of disaster as winter looms.

The statistics show that for the week ending 19 November only 63.5% of A&E attendances were seen within four hours – meaning well over a third of attendees waited longer than the four hour target.

Some 3,234 patients spent more than 8 hours in an A&E with 1,370 (5.5%) patients waiting over half a day to be seen.

Scottish Labour Health spokesperson Jackie Baillie said “Our NHS is on the brink of disaster as we head into winter – but we are stuck with a lame duck Health Secretary.

“Waiting lists are at an all time high, with thousands of Scots being left to suffer for over a year waiting for treatment and the SNP seem incapable of doing anything about it.

“Lives are already being put at risk by dangerously overburdened A&Es, which will only get worse as the temperatures drop.

“It is shameful that Michael Matheson is still clinging on to his job and drawing his Ministerial salary despite not only lying to the public but also failing to deal with the crisis in our NHS.

“Humza Yousaf must do the right thing and sack Michael Matheson so we can get a new Health Secretary in post to drive down waiting lists and protect our NHS this winter.

“Scottish Labour has repeatedly called for action to ease pressure on hospitals by tackling delayed discharge, supporting NHS staff, and stopping waiting lists spiralling with a comprehensive catch-up plan.” 

Responding to new figures showing only 63.5% were seen within 4 hours at A&E in the week ending 19th November and 13.1% waiting over 8 hours, Scottish Liberal Democrat leader and health spokesperson Alex Cole-Hamilton said:  “Perhaps the worst aspect of the ever worsening wait times in our A&E departments is that it is the grimly predictable consequence of this SNP government not focussing on the right things.

“We have been warning for months that Humza Yousaf’s NHS recovery plan is not fit for purpose and that new action needs to be taken now, but ministers have had their fingers in their ears. We need a health secretary who is laser focused on the day job and will put the voices of staff first.

“That means overhauling Humza Yousaf’s botched NHS recovery plan, bringing forward an urgent inquiry into the hundreds of avoidable deaths linked to the emergency care crisis and implementing measures which will meaningfully tackle burnout among staff.”

Source: Diagnostics; Inpatient and Outpatient.

A&E During week ending 19 November 2023

• Attendances: There were 24,766 unplanned attendances at EDs in NHSScotland.
• Attendances of under 4 hours: 15,727 (63.5%) of ED attendances were seen and resulted in a subsequent admission, transfer or discharge within 4 hours.
• Attendances of over 8 hours: 3,234 (13.1%) patients spent more than 8 hours in an Emergency Department.
• Attendances of over 12 hours: 1,370 (5.5%) patients spent more than 12 hours in an Emergency Department

https://publichealthscotland.scot/data-and-intelligence/ae-activity/#section-2-2