North-east MSP urges Scottish Government to ensure patients in Grampian are treated at accident and emergency within four hours
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MSP Tess White has urged the Scottish Government to ensure patients in Grampian are treated at accident and emergency within four hours after figures showed waiting times for the health board are among the lowest in mainland Scotland.
The Scottish Conservative north-east MSP’s call comes as new statistics show only 80.7 percent of accident and emergency patients in the north-east are being seen within the four-hour period.
This compares with neighbouring health board NHS Tayside, which saw 93.6 percent within four hours and NHS Highland which saw 90.5 percent.
The SNP Government have a target of ensuring 95 percent of patients are seen within four hours but no mainland health board has met this in the last week.
Various Scottish health boards including NHS Grampian have recently declared a “Code Black” status.
Ms White has called on the Scottish Government to back Scottish Conservative plans for a one-off £600 million investment in the NHS to tackle waiting times.
She has also urged ministers to look into changing the rules for NHS staff who are double vaccinated and have tested negative but are still having to self-isolate and be off work.
Ms White said: “Our health service staff at NHS Grampian are continuing to go above and beyond and are under ever increasing pressure.
“As they continue to fight Covid, it is imperative SNP Ministers urgently give NHS Grampian the resources they require to see as many patients as possible within four hours at accident and emergency.
“It is clear SNP Ministers have taken their eye off the ball as more patients attend our accident and emergency departments.
“It is hugely concerning that many patients across the north-east are waiting well over four hours to be treated.
“SNP Ministers should urgently back Scottish Conservative plans for a one-off £600 million investment in our NHS to specifically tackle waiting times.
“They also must look at ways in which the current rules on self-isolation for fully vaccinated staff can be changed.
"That is only increasing pressure on other staff and meaning vital health services are not operating at full capacity.
“Prior to the pandemic, the SNP were routinely missing key targets and their record on health was truly abysmal.
"They need to up their game and ensure that patients don’t continue to be left waiting for hours for urgent treatment.”
