An MSP has slammed the latest NHS Scotland accident and emergency figures after it was revealed that less than half of patients in Lanarkshire were seen within the Scottish Government's four-hour target.
The shocking data shows only 49.5 per cent of people attending A&E across the area's three hospitals were seen within the target time.
Central Scotland MSP Monica Lennon has shared concern on local hospital staff struggling to cope and has called the situation "dreadful" and "unacceptable".
Monklands Hospital recorded the worst figure in the health board area with 46.5 per cent of patients being taken within four hours, followed by Hairmyres with 49.4 per cent and Wishaw General sitting at 52.4 per cent.
Ms Lennon has slammed the latest NHS Scotland accident and emergency figures which show that less than half of those attending the departments in Lanarkshire were seen within the Scottish Government’s four-hour target.
The figures, released by Public Health Scotland, covers a total of 3703 people who were waiting to treated at A&E departments across Lanarkshire for the week ending July 10.
Across Scotland as a whole, 24,603 people visited A&E over the course of the week and 66.8 per cent were seen within four hours.
The Scottish Labour MSP told Lanarkshire Live : “These dreadful A&E waiting times in Lanarkshire are further proof that our hospitals are struggling to cope.
“For too long, healthcare staff across NHS Lanarkshire have been forced to work in unsafe and unsustainable conditions.
“The latest A&E waiting times worryingly confirm that the SNP government has allowed perpetual crisis to become the new normal in our health service.
“Across Scotland the NHS is running hot, however, Lanarkshire residents and healthcare staff are being hit the hardest. This is completely unacceptable.
“SNP ministers must focus on prioritising the NHS and social care services that our communities need.”
A Scottish Government spokesperson said: “These figures are from the most recent Covid wave during which hospital occupancy and staff absences remain high, impacting the delivery of emergency services.
"Despite this, nearly two-thirds of patients are being seen within four hours of arrival, and monthly stats published today show Scottish A&Es have outperformed the rest of the UK for the past 88 months.
“We are investing £50 million to drive down waiting times through our Urgent and Unscheduled Care Collaborative programme.
"This will see Flow Navigation Centres rolled out in every board across Scotland to get patients in front of a clinician sooner and avoid people waiting in A&E waiting rooms unnecessarily.”
NHS Lanarkshire was last week placed into its highest risk level and health chiefs asked that people only attend A&E in life threatening situations.
Heather Knox, NHS Lanarkshire chief executive, told us: “Our three A&Es remain extremely busy with long waiting times to be seen.
"Patients are also waiting in A&E for admission to beds. We strongly advise people that, if your condition isn’t life-threatening, please do not attend our A&Es – call NHS 24 on 111 to access the right care. Only go to A&E, or call 999, if it’s an emergency.
“We recognise that experiencing long waits can lead to people getting frustrated but we ask that people be patient and be kind and considerate to our staff at all times.
"We are working extremely hard in very difficult circumstances to do the very best we can for each and every one of our patients.”
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