MSP Sharon Dowey: NHS services Ayr hospital target time

With winter fast approaching, it is understandable that many local residents are increasingly concerned about the state of our local NHS services, especially in A&E departments.

The latest waiting time figures highlight a deeply alarming picture and if things are already bad at the moment, it is terrifying to consider what might happen during the winter period, when demand is even greater.

Let me make it clear. These lengthy waiting times are no fault of our incredible NHS staff who are doing a remarkable job in the face of extremely difficult circumstances.

But the fact is they are being repeatedly let down by an SNP Government that has failed to support health services in Ayrshire.

The latest figures show just 62 per cent of patients who visit A&E services in NHS Ayrshire and Arran are currently seen within the four-hour target time set by the SNP. At Ayr hospital, that was even worse during the summer and fell below 60 per cent. That is a long way from the 95 per cent target set by the SNP Government.

But this is not just about hitting targets. These delays have real life consequences for suffering patients and their families, and in the worst-case scenario, lead to unnecessary deaths.

We all know how hard winter can be, particularly for the elderly and those with existing medical conditions, but the SNP Government are missing in action and have no plan to support staff to deal with winter pressures.

They have been in charge of Scotland’s NHS for 17 years, yet the same issues continue to arise year after year. Their failed left-wing policies have let down patients and staff time after time.

We are not yet at the peak winter period, but there is no time to waste. We need to see the SNP health secretary step outside the Holyrood bubble and recognise the reality of this crisis, and give NHS Ayrshire and Arran the resources they need, not just for this upcoming winter but for the months and years ahead.

If he is looking for ideas, then he should look at the Scottish Conservatives bold proposals outlined in our health paper earlier this year. We want to make it a modern, efficient and local health service designed to fit patients and staff needs for this world now. We want to boost capacity and improve flow through the health system, so patients’ needs can be met at the right point, rather than always putting pressure on overwhelmed A&E services.

I share the concerns of families in Cumnock and across East Ayrshire. Everybody will use our health service at some point, and many will have to attend A&E whether themselves or with a loved one. They want certainty that they can access treatment in a timely manner if they need it, but for far too long that hasn’t been the case.

It is time for disconnected SNP ministers to listen to the people of Ayrshire and urgently outline a plan that will stop A&E services locally from completely collapsing this winter.