WAITING time performance in Scotland’s A&E units has flatlined, with almost 30 per cent of patients still waiting too long.

The latest figures from Public Health Scotland showed only 70.2% of patients were seen within the four-hour target period in the week to May 22, the same as the previous week.

The absolute numbers of people waiting too long also edged up on two benchmarks.

The overall number waiting more than four hours rose from 8,043 to 8,069, while the number waiting more than 12 hours increased from 626 to 649.

However the number waiting more than eight hours fell from 2,076 to 1,981.

Opposition parties said SNP health secretary Humza Yousaf was presiding over a “never-ending crisis”.

Other figures today showed 1 in 8 Scots is now on a NHS waiting list for diagnosis or treatment.

The A&E target, which has not been met nationally since July 2020, is for 95% of patients to be admitted, transferred or discharged within four hours.

The Royal College of Emergency Medicine has warned the significant delays are harming or killing more than 30 patients a week. 

The latest figures coincided with a slight rise in overall attendance at casualty units, up from 26,984 to 27,091.

The worst performing NHS board was NHS Forth Valley, with 52.5% of patients seen within four hours, NHS Borders was 59.6%, and NHS Lanarkshire was 63.1%.

Tory MSP Dr Sandesh Gulhane said: “Once again, these A&E figures are dreadful.

“The Health Secretary appears to have given up on rectifying this never-ending crisis, judging by his silence on the matter. But we can’t allow it to become the norm that three in 10 people have to wait four hours to be seen in our emergency wards, and that several hundred every week have to wait half a day to be seen.

“Lives are needlessly being lost every week because of these unacceptable delays – and it could be your mum or dad, your sibling or your partner.

“The SNP Government’s shocking workforce planning is letting down patients, but it’s also a betrayal of frontline A&E staff, who are working incredibly hard while being denied the resources to cope with demand.”

Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Alex Cole-Hamilton said: "Waiting times in our A&E departments flatlining at such a low level shows the need for urgent action from Nicola Sturgeon and Humza Yousaf. Staff and patients cannot be left to continually suffer under these conditions. They are being taken for granted by this SNP/Green government.

"Patients deserve to be seen for treatment quickly and close to home, yet after 15 years of SNP rule, that is just a pipe dream. The Health Secretary must also finally accept the need for an inquiry into avoidable deaths linked to the crisis in emergency care.”

A Scottish Government spokesperson said: “The Covid-19 pandemic continues to put pressure on hospitals and services, despite this the latest weekly figures show seven out of 10 patients are being seen in our A&E departments within the four-hour target.

“We know the situation may fluctuate as hospitals manage pandemic-related challenges and backlogs, but we expect the pressure in A&E to ease as Covid cases continue to decrease.

“Hospitals continue to face capacity issues as a result of high demand, staff absence and reduced beds due to infection control requirements, while high numbers of patients presenting who are acutely unwell is leading to a longer length of time spent in hospital and impacting on flow.

“For many, A&E will not be the right place for their healthcare need. People should consider whether their condition is an emergency, such as a stroke, heart attack or major trauma, before going to A&E. Local GPs can be contacted during the day for non-critical care, as well as local pharmacies. The NHS 24 telephone service is available on 111 for non-emergency inquiries.

“Scotland continues to have the best performing A&Es in the UK, outperforming those in England, Wales and Northern Ireland for over six years.”