Progress to meet Scottish Government targets are “moving in the right direction” according to an NHS Fife health chief.

The latest figures for March showed that just 69.5 per cent of the patients who visited the region’s A&E department were seen in the four-hour timescale. This fails to meet the 82 per cent target.

Stroke treatment fell short with just 57 per cent of patients receiving appropriate care when the target sits at 80 per cent.

However there were improvements with categories including cancer treatment and mental health incidents.

Victoria Hospital's accident and emergency department (Pic: Scott Louden)

placeholder image — Victoria Hospital's accident and emergency department (Pic: Scott Louden)

A report to NHS Fife board members said admission to the stroke unit continued to be challenged however improvements were now taking place.

“Despite this, performance improved notably in the latter part of February and early March, with 100 per cent compliance achieved for the final two weeks of February and the first week of March,” it added.

There were improvements for cancer waiting times with the 96.2 per cent of patients being seen in 31 days compared to the 95 per cent target.

Lynne Garvey, director of Fife Health & Social Care Partnership (H&SCP), said they will continue to address improvements.

“In terms of the cancer performances, the February 26 position 31 days was 96.2 per cent and the 62 day was 76.5 per cent,” she said.

“There is steady progress and improvement in cancer. There is a recognition of a need to do more work with neurology pathways and working on the team to try and see where opportunities lie to support improvements in that area.

“An area we need to see improvements is stroke bundles. Sickness absence and psychotherapy remain focus areas for us. “

Pat Kilpatrick, NHS Fife chair, said they were moving in the right direction.

“I think that is a really important thing in performance management term,” she said. “Some might be a bit quicker than others. We have done well in a lot of areas. We have discussed this about screening and the women’s health programme and is it the aspiration of this board that we have a fixed unit, a fixed location, for breast screening.”

Director of Public Health Joy Tomlinson confirmed that the Scottish Government had given an initial commitment on such a facility.

“We are hearing work is on-going but the necessary funding is not yet been identified,” she said.