A RECORD number of patients waited too long in Scotland's A&E units last week, as performance levels fell back to close to their worst ever level.

Official figures from Public Health Scotland showed 9,146 people waited more than the four-hour target in emergency departments in the week to August 14.

This was just above the previous record of 9,143 recorded in the week to July 3.

The Tories accused SNP health secretary Humza Yousaf of presiding over a service that appeared “unfit for purpose” and warned of a “complete breakdown” this winter.

Labour called it the longest-running crisis in the NHS in living memory.

The proportion of patients seen on time last week fell sharply from 67.9 per cent to just 65.1%, the third worst level since comparable records began in 2015, and just above the all-time record low of 64.8%.

The fall all but wiped out the improvements seen in the two previous weeks.

There were also jumps in the number of people enduring extreme waits in A&E.

The number waiting more than eight hours surged from 2,369 to 2,880 last week, the second highest number on record.

While the number waiting more than 12 hours to be seen rose from 916 to 983, the eighth highest level on record.

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

The figure has been below 70% in Scotland since the week ending May 22, as the service struggles to return to its pre-pandemic performance.

The latest declines coincided with a rise in attendances from 24,731 to 26,213, more than the number behind the July 3 record.

Seeing fewer than half its patients on time for another week, the worst performing health board was NHS Forth Valley where just 48.5% of people were treated inside four hours.

NHS Borders saw 58.8% of its A&E patients on time, and NHS Fife 59.3%.

The latest declines coincided with a rise in attendances from 24,731 to 26,213, more than the number behind the July 3 record.

The Royal College of Emergency Medicine has warned long delays are harming or killing more than 30 patients a week. 

A key factor is a lack of social care places leading to the delayed discharge of patients medically fit enough to leave hospital.

This creates an overall shortage of beds, making it harder to advance patients through A&E.

Tory MSP Dr Sandesh Gulhane said: “There is no sign of an end to, or even any significant improvement in, the long-running NHS crisis the SNP have presided over.

“The numbers backed up in A&E are not just miles from the Nationalists’ own targets but indicate a service that is unfit for purpose. 

“These latest figures show more people waiting for longer than four hours than ever before.

“Humza Yousaf’s flimsy NHS Recovery Plan needs to be completely rethought. Its complete failure is letting down dedicated staff who are now at the end of their tether, endangering patients, and creating unnecessary suffering.

 “People in urgent need of attention face miserable waits, despite the best efforts of hard-working NHS professionals, because basic workforce planning has been totally inadequate for years. And every delay in emergency wards can increase the chance of avoidable harm and deaths.

 “If the A&E figures are this dismal at the height of summer, and there is no sign of real improvement, it points to a disastrous winter and potentially a complete breakdown. A workable strategy for sorting out this chaos must be brought forward immediately.”

Scottish Labour deputy leader Jackie Baillie said: “Another week, another catastrophic set of statistics from our A&E departments. 

“Humza Yousaf is now presiding over the longest-running crisis in our NHS in living memory. 

“Thousands of people are now facing unacceptable waits every week. 

“That only just over 40% of people at NHS Forth Valley were seen within four hours is shameful. We must never forget that behind these statistics lie our family, friends and neighbours. 

“Despite the heroic efforts of staff, A&E is in chaos due to lack of capacity in the NHS. 

“Humza Yousaf must stop turning his back on the people of Scotland and act now.”

A Scottish Government spokesperson said: “The pandemic has presented our NHS with the greatest challenge of its 74-year existence.

“Despite this, Scotland continues to have the best performing A&Es in the UK, outperforming those in England, Wales and Northern Ireland for seven years.

“Occupancy and staffing pressures remain high and continue to impact the delivery of emergency services.

“Covid has not gone away but, despite this, almost two-thirds of patients are being seen within four hours of arrival.

“We are investing £50 million to drive down waiting times through our Urgent and Unscheduled Care Collaborative programme, including further development of Flow Navigation Centres in every board which aim to ensure rapid access to a clinician and scheduled appointments, where possible.

“This will avoid people waiting in A&E waiting rooms unnecessarily. We are engaging with boards on an ongoing basis to support them to avoid delays.”