SCOTLAND’S A&E waiting times have hit yet another record low despite fewer people going for help, leading to warnings the NHS is now in “genuine jeopardy” under the SNP. 

Public Health Scotland said just 70.9 per cent of patients were seen within the four-hour target in the seven days to October 17, down from 71.3% cent the previous week.

It was the lowest percentage since current records began in 2015, and the seventh record low set since the week ending August 8, when it was 76.5%. 

The previous record low was for the week ending October 3, when it was 71.2%.

The target is for 95% of patients to be admitted, transferred or discharged within four hours. That has not been met nationally since July 2020.

The Scottish Government said the Covid pandemic had "inevitably" had an impact.

The SNP-Green Government was recently been forced to call in the army to help deal with problems in the ambulance service caused by overflowing A&E units.

PHS said there were 24,116 attendances last week (down from 25,336 the previous week), with 1,786 patients waiting more than eight hours and 515 waiting more than 12.

Less than half of patients were seen on time in NHS Forth Valley (46.9%), while NHS Lanarkshire, which moved to the highest alert last week, saw 62.1% within four hours.

There are fears the figures will get even worse through the winter and the flu season.

Scottish Liberal Democrat leader and health spokesperson Alex Cole-Hamilton MSP said:

“These figures show that our NHS is genuinely in jeopardy. The SNP have sucked the life out of our public services.

“Record breaking waiting times might have been normalised by the SNP, but these number aren’t trivial. They show people who need critical health care services being put at risk. It’s a true scandal.  

“The Health Secretary cannot expect to muddle on and for the army to bail him out. If staff are to be convinced to stay, we need to see long term options on the table including an honest workforce management plan and a revised NHS Recovery Plan.

“In the meantime, the Health Secretary should spend a shift on the frontline so that he has a proper grip of the scale of problems faced.”

Tory MSP Dr Sandesh Gulhane added: “These latest figures are deeply concerning and further evidence of the crisis in Scotland’s A&E wards.

“More than 50,000 patients have now waited beyond the SNP’s own target time since Humza Yousaf’s recovery plan was published and with each passing week the stats are getting worse.

“Scotland’s NHS is toiling on Humza Yousaf’s watch and his flimsy Covid recovery plan isn’t cutting it.

“More and more health boards are now reliant on support from our UK Armed Forces just to maintain frontline services.

“Their efforts are hugely welcome but, with winter fast approaching, Humza Yousaf must get a grip of the crisis now.”

Scottish Labour health spokesperson Jackie Baillie added: "Another week goes by, with another record failure from the SNP.  

“Make no mistake, the people of Scotland are being put in danger due to the SNP’s catastrophic failure to support A&E services.  

"Staff are doing the best they can but lives are on the line, as the Health Secretary’s current strategy is clearly not dealing whatsoever with this crisis.  

"If action is not taken now, we risk a winter of chaos in A&E departments across Scotland.  

“The Health Secretary needs to get a grip of this situation to prevent it getting even worse and act to support staff and strengthen services.”  

A Scottish Government spokesperson said the “direct and indirect impacts of the Covid pandemic have inevitably affected A&E performance”.

“We recognise that some people aren’t getting the service of care they, or we, would expect and we apologise to anyone who has suffered as a result.

“Our NHS staff have faced unprecedented pressures as they work tirelessly and consistently to respond to the pandemic while continuing to provide vital treatment and optimal patient care.

“The Health Secretary has been very clear that this winter is likely to be the most challenging in the history of the NHS.

“To minimise pressures as much as possible, we’ve recently announced £300 million of measures to help increase NHS and social care capacity and reduce delayed discharges which will ensure additional capacity for emergency admissions.”