NHS in Forth Valley: Waiting times in A&E at Forth Valley Royal Hospital still not meeting targets

However, while across Scotland the figures were the worst since records began, the situation has improved at the Larbert hospital since its record low of last October when the figure was 41 per cent.

Last week, 60.4 per cent of those attending FVRH were not treated, admitted or discharged within the four hour guidelines. The Scottish average was 67.4 per cent.

In the same week in January 2021, 85.2 per cent of patients were seen in the four hour timeframe.

Of the 980 people who arrived at A&E in Larbert last week, 388 waited more than four hours, 58 more than eight hours and ten waited over 12 hours.

The Scottish Government’s target of 95 per cent of patients being attended to within four hours has not been met since July 2020 and the 67.4% seen in that time during the week ending January 9 is the lowest ever recorded.

Health Secretary Humza Yousaf has previously warned of “really high staff absences” and said: “This is the most difficult period our NHS has ever faced because of the pandemic.”

Last week NHS Forth Valley announced it was putting non-urgent surgery on hold for up to six weeks due to high numbers of staff shortages across the hospital site.

They said it had not been an easy decision to take but was necessary to “free up staff to support critical health services”.

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