A recent report has revealed that the count of Scottish patients being made to wait for long hours outside the Accident & Emergency departments has increased over years and that too, at a very fast pace.

However, the latest figures released related to waiting times of patients are being claimed by the Scottish Government as partially true. It is being said that even when waiting lists are there, most of the patients do get the required treatment or care within four hours of their arrival.

But, the data and situation taken out in response to Labour MSP Margaret McCulloch’s questions do not agree to the same. Since, as per the data, patients’ count, waiting for 12 hours or more, has almost become twice the number noted four years back.

While it was 400 patients in 2008-09, as per the findings, the same figure has skyrocketed, reaching 882 in the last year. It has been told by Health secretary Nicola Sturgeon that those waiting for nearly 8 hours have also increased to 5,097 from 2,190 in 2008.

The reason is most probably the cuts introduced in nursing staff. “The NHS in Scotland can’t keep working if the SNP cut thousands of clinical staff and, with more cuts to come, these figures will only continue to worsen”, Ms. McCulloch thus said.