A&E Performance

During the month of October 2016, 93.9% of patients were seen and subsequently admitted, transferred or discharged within four hours from Scotland’s A&E departments.

Cabinet Secretary for Health, Shona Robison said:

“As we have seen throughout the year, A&E figures will fluctuate week-to-week and we are monitoring this closely to ensure no-one is waiting longer than absolutely necessary in our emergency departments.

“We are working together with hospitals and Boards to improve hospital processes to increase the percentage of patients discharged before noon, and discharging patients at weekends at the same rate as on weekdays and strengthen community capacity to reduce delayed discharges.

“Nationally, our emergency departments are still maintaining a high level of performance, with Scotland’s A&E waiting times consistently outperforming other areas of the UK for at least the past 19 months.

“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. We have put record investment and increased levels of staffing into our hospitals to achieve this – including an extra £3 million announced last month for health boards to support their preparations for winter.”

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.

Background

Scotland’s A&E waiting times have consistently outperformed other areas of the UK for at least the past 19 months – more than eight percentage points higher than England for September (94.2% compared to 86.0%); more than 16 percentage points higher than Wales (78.1%) and almost 23 percentage points better than Northern Ireland (71.6%).

Monthly A&E performance statistics include figures from all A&E services across Scotland. Of these, 30 are classed as ‘core’ emergency departments - larger A&E services that typically provide a 24 hour consultant led service.

Also published today are performance figures for the week ending 27 November 2016, when 92.9% of patients attending core A&E departments, which are 24 hour, consultant led sites, were seen within four hours. Weekly statistics look at Scotland’s 30 core, 24 hour, consultant led A&E sites only.

The full statistical publication is available on the ISD Scotland website: http://www.isdscotland.org/

The figures are also available on the NHS Performs website: http://www.nhsperforms.scot