Sign in Subscribe
Coronaviruses

Ambulance Waiting Times in Scotland Reach Alarming Heights

Strategic Insights

— 1 min read

A crisis is unfolding in Scotland's emergency healthcare services, as new figures reveal over a third of ambulances are left waiting outside hospitals for more than an hour, highlighting the "dangerous incompetence" of the Scottish Government. The unsettling trend has been escalating since 2020, with hospital turnaround times in excess of 60 minutes increasing year-on-year. Scottish Labour has criticized the SNP government for its failure to address the crisis, citing the need for urgent action to tackle bed-blocking, which is exacerbating the problem.

Key Takeaways:

  • Over a third (33.6%) of ambulances in Scotland are left waiting outside hospitals for more than an hour, a significant increase from 6.4% in 2020.
  • The trend has been escalating year-on-year, with 26.6% of ambulances facing waits of over an hour in 2022, and 31.9% in the last year.
  • Only 1.4% of ambulances were facing waits of over an hour 10 years ago, highlighting the dramatic increase in waiting times.
  • Scottish Labour blames the SNP government's "dangerous incompetence" for the crisis, citing the need for urgent action to tackle bed-blocking.
  • Dr Fiona Hunter, vice-president of the Royal College of Emergency Medicine Scotland, emphasizes the need for an urgent focus on the "back door" of hospitals, particularly with winter approaching, to ensure patients can be discharged and make room for new admissions.
  • The Scottish Government's target for 95% of patients to be seen within four hours in A&E has been missed, with only 63.9% of patients seen within the target in the most recent data.

Statistics:

  • 33.6% of ambulances in Scotland have hospital turnaround times in excess of 60 minutes, with the number increasing year-on-year since 2020.
  • The number of ambulances waiting more than an hour outside hospitals increased from 13.9% in 2021 to 27.9% in 2023.
  • 1,604 patients spent over 12 hours in A&E in the week ending October 5, making up 5.9% of all emergency department patients.
  • 3,667 (13.6%) patients spent eight hours or more in A&E in the latest weekly NHS statistics.

Sources:

  • Scottish Labour
  • "The Steamie" - Scottish Government newsletter
  • Royal College of Emergency Medicine Scotland
  • Scottish Government
  • NHS statistics

Read more