Cole-Hamilton: Continuing A&E crisis shows Yousaf's recovery plan has failed

Responding to new figures showing that only 45.5% of patients who went to the A&E department at the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh were seen within the four-hour target time, and waits remaining high across the country, Scottish Liberal Democrat leader and health spokesperson Alex Cole-Hamilton MSP has today said that Humza Yousaf's NHS recovery plan has failed.

Performance against the 95% 4-hour waiting time target has plunged at hospitals across the country with only:

• 45.5% seen on time at Edinburgh’s Royal Infirmary
• 47.1% seen on time at the Forth Valley Royal Hospital
• 48% seen on time at the Aberdeen Royal Infirmary

Alex Cole-Hamilton said: 

“We were all told by Humza Yousaf that his NHS Recovery Plan would finally see improvements made but it has comprehensively failed.

“This will no doubt leave people wondering how on earth he will suddenly be able to turn things around if he becomes First Minister, especially since he has still not articulated a single thing he would do differently.

"He certainly cannot continue to oppose our constructive proposals such as an urgent inquiry into the hundreds of avoidable deaths linked to the emergency care crisis, a burnout prevention strategy and a health and social care staff assembly.  

“The patients waiting hours for treatment know the impact of the SNP's ministerial disinterest on the country. They are being taken for granted. The SNP's priority will never be our NHS- it will always be their obsession with breaking up the UK.”