Borders MSP Rachael Hamilton has, once again, hit out at the Scottish Government after the latest A&E waiting time figures show a distinct lack of progress.
Mrs Hamilton’s call comes after the latest waiting time figures showed only 74.4% of patients were seen within four hours across Scotland. This was a drop from 75.6% in the previous week.
The SNP’s own target is for 95% of patients to be seen within four hours at A&E. That has not been met since July 2020.
NHS Borders performed slightly above average by this metric. 78.2% of patients were seen within the four-hour target in the week beginning 6th February, which was a 0.5% improvement on the previous week.
However, Mrs Hamilton said that lives are still being put at risk in the Borders due to the continued inaction from SNP Health Secretary Humza Yousaf.
She is calling on Humza Yousaf to finally show the leadership to bring waiting times under control.
Rachael Hamilton MSP said: “Once again, waiting times at A&E across Scotland are falling well below the SNP’s own targets. This is simply not good enough.
“Heroic staff on the frontline in NHS Borders are continuing to work flat out but are being badly let down by a lack of support from the SNP Health Secretary.
“He has failed to get a grip on the crisis in A&E for far too long and more and more patients are being put at risk.
“My colleagues and I have been calling on the Scottish Government to do more to tackle this issue for years. Yet, their inaction is continuing to cost lives, and let down frontline staff.
“His flimsy NHS Recovery plan has failed miserably to remobilise frontline services NHS Borders and A&E waiting times are still miles off where they need to be.”
