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MSPs concern at missed Aberdeen Royal Infirmary A&E waiting times targets

Aberdeen Royal Infirmary
Aberdeen Royal Infirmary

More than 140 patients waited longer than they should have had for emergency treatment at the north-east’s flagship hospital.

Official figures released yesterday showed that 87.8% of people who attended Aberdeen Royal Infirmary (ARI) during the week ending June 21 were seen within four hours.

The target is 95% which meant that 144 people out of 1,178 people treated waited longer than they should have and 14 people spent more than eight hours in A&E.

Overall, 92.2% of patients who attended A&E departments across Grampian were treated within four hours.

The rate at Dr Gray’s Hospital in Elgin was 98.5% which meant only seven people spent more than four hours before being discharged or transferred to a ward.

North-east Liberal Democrat MSP Alison McInnes said: “There is little doubt that the GP crisis has contributed to one in ten people facing waits of over four hours to be seen at ARI.

“NHS Grampian has consistently been underfunded by SNP ministers which must change if the many problems faced by the health board are to improve.”

Labour MSP Richard Baker claimed the Scottish Government was not doing enough to address the NHS staff recruitment crisis.

He said more people must be encouraged to use NHS24 or other treatment options.

Mr Baker added: “But at the end of the day if someone requires A&E treatment they should be able to access it without unacceptable waits.”

Conservative MSP Nanette Milne said: “Only with investment and innovative solutions will we see the waiting times brought down to a significantly lower level.”

A spokeswoman for NHS Grampian said demand at A&E departments, coupled with more complex cases, can result in a decrease in patients being seen within four hours.

“The Royal College of Emergency Medicine states that 15% of attendancies at emergency departments across Scotland could be managed by GPs,” she added.

“GPs, minor injury clinics, pharmacists and NHS 24 may be able to offer more appropriate support.”

The figures showed that 93.6% of patients were seen within four hours at Raigmore Hospital in Inverness and the overall rate for NHS Highland was 95.3%.