A quarter of Forth Valley A&E patients aren’t being admitted, discharged, or treated within eight hours, according to data from Public Health Scotland.
Forth Valley Royal Hospital has one of the worst performing A&E departments in Scotland. Less than half of patients are being admitted, discharged or treated within a four hour period according to data from week ending November 12.
11 per cent of patients waited more than 12 hours.
The current standard according to Information Services Division Scotland is for 95 per cent of patients to wait no longer than four hours from arrival to admission, discharge or transfer for A&E treatment.
The average amount of patients seen within this four hour period across all A&E departments in Scotland was 72 per cent during the same week.
Over the past year, NHS Forth Valley has failed to hit target week after week. Their highest percentage of patients seen within four hours was just 66.8 per cent. This is leading to long wait times for those using the emergency department throughout the year.
Compared to other major emergency departments, Forth Valley Royal Hospital falls short. University Hospital Wishaw saw 17.5 per cent more patients within a four hour period. Perth Royal Infirmary saw 55.8 per cent more.
Statement from Forth Valley Royal Hospital
In a statement Forth Valley Royal Hospital said they, like many other hospitals across Scotland, are continuing to face capacity challenges. Many seriously ill patients are requiring admission for treatment along with high numbers of patients experiencing delays in being discharged.
They said: “However, targeted work is underway across local health and care services to help relieve current pressures and free up capacity ahead of winter.
“This focuses on intensifying efforts to reduce the number of patients facing delays in being discharged or transferred and strengthening to help prevent hospital admissions.”
Jim Cannon, NHS Forth Valley’s interim Director of Acute Services, said: “This is really important as we head into the winter period when we know local services will face even greater demands. The work being taken forward is a real team effort led by staff and colleagues working across local hospital, community, social care and primary care services.
“We also want to ensure that these intensive efforts don’t just make a difference in the short-term but are also maintained to deliver longer-term sustainable improvements which we can build on in the months ahead.”
NHS Forth Valley stated that local people across the area can also help by using the right services when they are unwell or need urgent health advice to ensure they get the right health care in the right place as quickly as possible.
Feature image credit: NHS Forth Valley
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