HEALTH Secretary Shona Robison has praised the hard work of NHS staff as figures showed improved waiting times at hospital accident and emergency departments.

Although there was a slight increase in the number of people visiting A&E, official statistics showed in the week ending January 21, 86.6 per cent of patients were dealt with within the four-hour target time.

That is below the Scottish Government target of having 95 per cent of patients seen and admitted, transferred or discharged within four hours – but is up from 85.8 per cent the previous week and from 77.9 per cent in the first week of January.

In that week alone 470 people spent more than 12 hours in A&E, while more than 1,400 were there for more than eight hours.

Ms Robison said: “I welcome these improvements in A&E waiting times, due to the continued hard work and dedication of staff across health and social care system. We will continue to work with health boards to monitor performance.

“Flu-like illness in Scotland have decreased slightly and that has helped ease the pressures on A&E, but rates are still around five times higher than the same week last year.

“With a few months left of winter, there will be challenges ahead. I’d again urge people eligible for the free flu vaccine to take up the offer – it’s the best way to protect yourself from the most common strain of the virus.”