Best April A&E performance since 2011

During the month of April 2016, 95.1% of patients were seen and subsequently admitted, transferred or discharged within four hours from Scotland’s A&E departments.

This is 2.3 percentage points higher than April 2015 and the best performance during the month of April since 2011. It is also two percentage points higher than March 2016.

Also published today are performance figures for the week ending May 29, when 94.1% of patients attending core A&E departments, which are 24 hour, consultant led sites, were seen within four hours, up from 93.7% the week before.

The core performance figure for April 2016 was 94.6%, up from 92.2% in March 2016.

Health Secretary Shona Robison said:

“I welcome today’s figures which show the best April A&E performance since 2011. We are determined to build on and improve the service for patients, and today’s figures are testament to the hard work and commitment from staff across the NHS.

“Nationally, our core accident and emergency performance has remained better than elsewhere in the UK for the last 13 months of published data, from March 2015 to March 2016.

“However, as we have seen throughout the year, A&E performance will fluctuate from week to week and also from hospital to hospital as pressure on the service varies. Therefore, we are continually working to retain and build on improved performance.

“To achieve this, health boards are continuing to implement our six essential actions which aim to minimise long delays in A&E and assessment units by improving patient flow throughout all areas of the hospital and community.

“We have also put record investment in place and increased staffing to help meet demand and are working closely with health boards to minimise any dips in performance.

“We want to see long-term, sustainable change put in place in order to maintain high levels of performance during peaks and troughs.”

During the four hour period patients will be clinically assessed and undergo tests and treatment, before subsequently being discharged or admitted to hospital. The four hour period covers treatment and discharge/admit decision making.