A&E under pressure: More than 250 people a day pouring into A&E in Fife

The most recent weekly data shows that just 56.2% of patients attending A&E were seen within the Scottish Government’s target of four hours.

But health bosses said the length of time people spend within our the department “should not be the sole measure of the quality of care” patients get.

The figures show only NHS Forth Valley and Lanarkshire performed worse, prompting Willie Rennie MSP for North-east Fife, to call on Humza Yousaf, Health Secretary to address Parliament “to explain how he will support NHS staff and prevent a deepening crisis.”

Mr Rennie described the waiting time statistics as “alarming” and added: “With the worst of the winter pressure yet to come, patients and staff will be increasingly worried about the months ahead.

“The Scottish Government needs to accept that its Recovery Plan isn’t working in Fife, and that the situation across the country is dire.”

But health bosses say staff are working flat out to care for people.

Claire Dobson, director of acute services,said: “There is significant pressure on our emergency department at present, as there has been throughout 2022.

“We are regularly seeing in excess of 250 people in a single day, each of whom have to be assessed, treated and either discharged or admitted.

“In addition to seeing greater numbers of presentations, we are still seeing many more people who are seriously unwell and require admission to hospital, at a time when demand for inpatient care continues to be extremely high.

“This increased demand coupled with significant numbers of patients who require ongoing care and support outwith the acute care setting, is hampering our ability to move patients out of our emergency department into other parts of the healthcare system. “

She added: “The length of time people spend within our emergency department should not be the sole measure of the quality of care patients are receiving, with our staff working incredibly hard to provide the best possible care to all.

"Those who are most unwell are prioritised to be seen very quickly and all who require admission, and are required to wait, are cared for and monitored throughout.”