A&E PERFORMANCE AND LONG PAIN CLINIC WAITS ARE GETTING WORSE

by Lucy Ashton 

Weekly A&E statistics show the number of people waiting more than eight hours rose to 4,048 and the number waiting more than 12 rose to 1,934, Scottish Labour Health spokesperson Jackie Baillie, right, said today.

She commented:  “For years long A&E waits have been causing misery for patients and piling pressure on staff, but things keep getting worse instead of better. 

“This complacent and out-of-touch SNP government keeps telling us things are getting better in the NHS, but the facts don’t lie. 

“It’s clear that John Swinney and the SNP have no idea how to fix the mess they have made of our NHS – but a Scottish Labour government is ready to deliver where they have failed.

“Scottish Labour will fix this crisis at last – we will prioritise frontline services over bureaucracy, ease pressure on hospitals by supporting social care, and deliver a real workforce plan to support NHS staff.”

On waiting times for pain management services, which show that 8.7 per cent of patients seen in the last quarter waited more than a year, Dumbarton constituency MSP Jackie Baillie said “Hundreds of Scots have faced agonising waits for pain management, but the SNP has no answers. 

“These appalling waits leave Scots in limbo for months on end, suffering without support and missing out on work and life events. 

“No amount of spin from John Swinney and the SNP can erase the pain these patients have endured on their watch.

“Scottish Labour will fix the mess the SNP has made of our NHS and make sure that people can get the help they need, when they need it.” 

LibDem leader Alex Cole Hamilton, left, said: “”A&E departments have been stuck in crisis conditions for years now, with little to no sign of things improving. The SNP have abandoned staff and patients and the only action the SNP government can muster is warm words.

“A&E departments are backed up because there are so many people like Margaret MacGill, who are stuck in hospital and unable to leave because the care package they need to get home is not available. I have repeatedly raised her case with the First Minister, as Margaret should have been home within 14 weeks, but she’s been in hospital for over 14 months.

“It all goes to show that you cannot fix the NHS and bring down A&E waits without fixing social care.

“Scotland’s A&E patients deserve better, and by backing the Scottish Liberal Democrats on your second, peach-coloured ballot paper in May, you can get change with fairness at its heart.”

A&E stats during week ending 1 March 2026

• Attendances: There were 26,909 attendances at type 1 departments in NHS Scotland (compared to 25,976 the previous week, and 27,031 weekly average for 2025).
• Attendances of under 4 hours: 16,858 (62.6%) of type 1 attendances were seen and resulted in a subsequent admission, transfer or discharge within 4 hours (compared to 16,463 (63.4%) the previous week, and 17,556 (64.9%) weekly average for 2025).
• Attendances of over 8 hours: 4,048 (15%) patients spent more than 8 hours in a type 1 Department (compared to 3,780 (14.6%) the previous week, and 3,323 (12.3%) weekly average for 2025).
• Attendances of over 12 hours: 1,934 (7.2%) patients spent more than 12 hours in a type 1 Department (compared to 1,910 (7.4%) the previous week, and 1,445 (5.3%) weekly average for 2025).

Source: https://publichealthscotland.scot/healthcare-system/urgent-and-unscheduled-care/accident-and-emergency/main-points/emergency-departments/

CHRONIC PAIN:  Waiting times for pain management services – Quarter ending 31 December 2025:

• During the same quarter, 2,949 patients attended their first outpatient appointment with a pain management service.
• Of those seen at a pain management service in the latest quarter, 51.8% of patients waited 12 weeks or less to be seen. The proportion of patients who experienced longer waits of more than 52 weeks was 8.7%.