Edinburgh Royal Infirmary’s A&E department operated beyond capacity every day last month, the Scottish Conservatives have revealed.
The party said statistics provided through a freedom of information request present a “terrifying snapshot” of the pressures faced by emergency departments.
Routine hourly checks by staff at the hospital showed that its A&E capacity of 40 patients was exceeded throughout August by an average of 200% – or 80 patients – at any given time. On its busiest day over the summer months – August 15 – the department reported looking after 144 patients, meaning it was over capacity by 104.
