A furious political row has erupted this evening - with the revelation that a patient waited more than 60 HOURS at an Ayrshire A&E department.
Ayrshire Live can reveal that the unknown patient endured a total of 60 hours 28 minutes at a local hospital in the week ending December 18, 2022.
Now South Scotland Conservative List MSP, Sharon Dowey, has waded into the debate and is raising serious concerns about the patient’s “shocking” treatment before they were admitted, transferred or discharged.
Scottish Conservative Leader Douglas Ross also raised the “scandalous” incident with Nicola Sturgeon at First Minister’s Questions and said it “could not be defended.”
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said: “Notwithstanding the very significant challenges in accident and emergency, they are the best performing anywhere in the UK.
“That’s down to the hard work of staff across our national health service each and every day.
“It is always unacceptable if someone waits too long for treatment in the National Health Service.
“And at the tail end of last year, that was during the winter peak of pressures.
“Since then, in accident and emergencies, although I stress there is considerable progress to be made, eight and 12 hour waits have reduced and we will continue to support our accident and emergency departments to make further progress “
The 60-hour + wait was revealed in a Freedom of Information response published by the Scottish Conservatives.
During the exchange with Nicola Sturgeon, Douglas Ross said Humza Yousaf was the “worst health secretary since devolution” and he should be ‘sacked, not promoted to SNP leader.’
Afterwards, Scottish Conservative MSP for South Scotland, Sharon Dowey, said: “This shocking incident must be investigated urgently by the SNP Government.
“It is totally unacceptable that people in Ayrshire seeking emergency treatment are being forced to wait over 60 hours for emergency treatment.
“Our NHS staff do fantastic work but I have serious concerns about the lack of support they get from the SNP Government.
“Humza Yousaf has let the NHS crisis spiral out of control. He should be sacked as health secretary, not promoted to First Minister.”
NHS Ayrshire & Arran were at pains to clarify, however, that the patient would not have waited 60 hours for emergency treatment, this time would have been for admission to a ward.
Joanne Edwards, Director of Acute Services at NHS Ayrshire & Arran said: “We apologise to any patient who has to wait longer than the target four-hour period for either discharge or transfer to an appropriate setting from our Emergency Departments.
“Due to demand across our whole health and care system, and despite our staff working hard to assess and treat patients as quickly as possible, some patients have waited significantly longer than we would wish and we unreservedly apologise for that.
“We are fully committed to ensure that those with emergency and urgent needs are treated as quickly as possible alongside those patients who have been waiting for the longest period.”
Read next:
- Exhausted mum who knew 'something wasn't right' diagnosed with stage 4 cancer
- Extreme sadness as 'lack of support' blamed for Ayrshire golf club's sudden closure
- Man fighting for life after car hits him while helping friends on A77
- Fuming neighbours brand Brig o' Doon plans a 'preposterous monstrosity' as owners defend £2m proposals
- Fire at iconic Ayrshire Irish pub as crews rush to blaze in Prestwick town centre
Don't miss the latest Ayrshire headlines – sign up to our free daily newsletter here
