Dowey Urges SNP to address Ayrshire’s A&E waiting times ahead of Winter

Ayrshire Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP) Sharon Dowey has called upon the Scottish National Party (SNP) Government to support NHS Ayrshire and Arran in addressing A&E waiting times as the winter season approaches.

This call to action follows the release of data by Public Health Scotland, revealing that in the week concluding on 1 October 2023, only 68.1% of patients were seen within four hours. Shockingly, the statistics indicated that 194 individuals had endured waiting times exceeding 12 hours this month.

Sharon emphasized the necessity of addressing A&E waiting times in anticipation of the winter period when health boards invariably experience heightened pressure.

Furthermore, she underscored the imperative for SNP Health Secretary Michael Matheson to prioritize the A&E situation. Failing to do so, she cautioned, could lead to a substantial surge in the number of patients enduring waiting times beyond twelve hours in the emergency department.

In her statement, Scottish Conservative and Unionist MSP Sharon Dowey articulated, “While our NHS staff in Ayrshire exert unwavering efforts to provide care in the emergency department, their capabilities are restricted without supplementary support from the SNP Government.”

Dowey continued, “This month has witnessed over 194 individuals enduring wait times surpassing 12 hours in NHS Ayrshire and Arran’s A&E, with nearly a third of patients not being seen within the four-hour benchmark.”

She reiterated that the winter season tends to place greater demands on all health boards, making it crucial to prevent extended waiting times in emergency departments.

“Staff are currently toiling diligently,” she said, “but to witness a real reduction in waiting times before Winter, they necessitate substantial backing from the SNP Government. This should be the top priority for the SNP Health Secretary if we wish to observe significant improvements for patients during the colder months.”