Rachael Hamilton MSP has criticised the Scottish Government over their handling of the NHS, after Scotland and the Borders saw their worst A&E figures since records began.
There were 2,790 attendances at the Borders General Hospital. 85.6% of attendances were admitted, transferred or discharged within 4 hours, but 31 patients spent more than 12 hours in A&E.
Across Scotland as a whole, almost a thousand patients waited longer than 12 hours at A&E. The statistics from ISD Scotland highlight this massive increase from the 657 patients who waited over 12 hours in October 2019.
Mrs Hamilton believes that the SNP’s mismanagement of the Scottish NHS has occurred due to their obsession with independence and their failure to properly invest in the health service, despite funding increases from the Westminster Treasury.
Rachael Hamilton, Member for Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire said:
“The SNP Government have been in charge of the Scottish NHS for over a decade now and these figures are inexcusable. It is a shocking record and the Health Secretary should be appalled.
“Doctors, nurses and front line NHS staff are working flat out to care for those who arrive at A&E, yet the SNP continue to underfund and mismanage NHS budgets.
“People expect to be seen within a reasonable timeframe, but the figures show people are waiting over 12 hours, this is simply unacceptable.
“The SNP need to stop their obsession with independence and get back to the things that really matter, saving our NHS and ensuring it is sustainably funded for the future.”