Scottish sufferers waited as much as 40 hours for emergency hospital care on the peak of the pandemic, figures present.
Well being Secretary Humza Yousaf has been urged to take motion to assist struggling accident and emergency (A&E) employees who're vulnerable to burnout, whereas combating the “absurd” ready occasions.
The info obtained by the Scottish Liberal Democrats via a collection of freedom of knowledge (FOI) requests reveals the longest variety of hours waited by any individual attending A&E in 2020/21.
Sufferers throughout the nation waited greater than a day to be seen in an emergency in numerous Scotland’s NHS well being boards, in response to the statistics.
The longest wait revealed within the FOI from 12 of Scotland’s 14 well being boards was sufferers in Ayrshire and Arran spending as much as 39 hours and 41 minutes in A&E departments.
In the meantime, Lanarkshire sufferers waited as much as 30 hours and 7 minutes to be admitted, whereas sufferers in Lothian spent greater than 29 hours in A&E.
The bottom wait occasions have been in Orkney – two hours and 25 minutes, Shetland – eight hours, and Forth Valley – 9 hours and eight minutes.
NHS Western Isles didn't obtain the FOI request, whereas miscommunication meant NHS Larger Glasgow and Clyde closed the request, the Liberal Democrats have stated.
Get together chief Alex Cole-Hamilton stated the ready occasions are a “shame”.
He added: “No one ought to spend virtually two days in A&E. Emergency care is woefully understaffed.
“When NHS employees are exhausted, sufferers’ lives are probably put in danger.
“We face the results of 15 years of SNP neglect of our well being service.
“We'd like pressing motion to stop a employees exodus by taking care of employees in the best way they've sorted us.
“If burnout means individuals depart, the recruitment disaster will turn out to be a lot worse. It takes years to coach well being professionals, so we desperately must preserve the individuals we've got.”
The analysis comes because the Royal School of Emergency Drugs reported A&E delays have contributed to 240 avoidable deaths this 12 months.
The Scottish Liberal Democrats urged the Scottish Authorities to again their proposals of a “burnout prevention technique” and a well being and social care employees meeting to resolve the problems in A&E.
Mr Cole-Hamilton added: “Thus far this SNP/Inexperienced Authorities has did not put in place a correct NHS restoration plan and even refused to again Scottish Liberal Democrat proposals for a burnout prevention plan to alleviate the burden on employees.
“As an alternative they're pushing a divisive independence referendum and leaving our NHS to fall into disrepair.
“The Well being Secretary should cease utilizing the pandemic as an excuse. It's time to ship the mandatory sources to assist employees and keep away from these absurd ready occasions.”
A Scottish Authorities spokesperson stated: “Regardless of the continued strain from the pandemic on hospitals and providers, greater than two-thirds of sufferers are being seen in our A&E departments throughout the four-hour goal.
“We wish individuals to get the suitable care in the suitable setting, and for a lot of A&E won't be probably the most appropriate place for his or her healthcare want.
“Folks ought to take into account whether or not their situation is an emergency, equivalent to a stroke, coronary heart assault or main trauma, earlier than going to A&E.
“Our new Pressing and Unscheduled Care Collaborative programme, which is supported by £50 million of funding, seems to assist the implementation of a variety of measures to scale back A&E ready occasions and enhance affected person expertise, this contains alternate options to hospital-based therapy.
“Scotland continues to have one of the best performing A&Es within the UK, outperforming these in England, Wales and Northern Eire for over six years.”
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