Forth Valley A&E Waiting times showing some improvement

The latest statistics for the seven day period ending January 14 continue to show a slight upturn in performance for the health board, compared to the week leading up to Hogmanay and the first week in the new year.

A total of 78.2 per cent of patients attending A&E were seen within four hours, an improvement on 64.9 per cent the previous week and just 57.3 per cent in the last week of 2017.

Seventy eight patients were required to wait over eight hours to be seen and 37 had to wait over 12 hours.

Despite fewer people having to wait longer, the health board is still missing the Scottish Government’s target of 95 per cent of patients being seen within four hours.

More local patients are still having to wait longer than those attending A&E in any of the other Scottish health board regions.

NHS Forth Valley said that rising flu rates affecting emergency departments across Scotland had resulted in “a significant increase” in the number of patients with repsiratory illnesses who were admitted to hospital in recent weeks.

Andrew Murray, NHS Forth Valley’s medical director, has apologised to any patients who have experienced longer waits over the last few weeks.

He said that staff have worked “exceptionally hard” to deliver high standards of care throughout the very busy period, and they are continuing to do everything possible to reduce delays.