A&E performance

During the month of July 2016, 95.8% of patients were seen and subsequently admitted, transferred or discharged within four hours from Scotland’s A&E departments.

This is the same performance as July 2015, and 0.1% higher than the previous month of June 2016.

Cabinet Secretary for Health, Shona Robison said:

“As we have seen throughout the year, A&E performance will fluctuate from week to week and also from hospital to hospital as pressure on the service varies.

“At a monthly level, improvement has been made over the year and we are continually working to retain and build on this to ensure patients get the service they rightly deserve.

“Nationally, our core accident and emergency performance has remained better than elsewhere in the UK for the last 16 months of published data, from March 2015 to June 2016.

“To achieve this, health boards are continuing to implement our six essential actions which aim to minimise long delays in A&E and assessment units by improving patient flow throughout all areas of the hospital and community.

“We have also put record investment in place and increased staffing to help meet demand and are working closely with health boards to minimise any dips in performance.

“We want to see long-term, sustainable change put in place in order to maintain high levels of performance during peaks and troughs, which is why we are committed to focus support in this key patient care priority.”

During the four hour period patients will be clinically assessed and undergo tests and treatment, before subsequently being discharged or admitted to hospital. The four hour period covers treatment and discharge/admit decision making.