CRAIG Hoy, a Conservative MSP for South Scotland, has called on SNP Health Secretary Humza Yousaf to resign after A&E waiting times hit an all-time-high in NHS Lothian.
Statistics from last week showed that only 59.4% of A&E patients in NHS Lothian were seen within the Scottish Government’s four hour target, the worst A&E waiting times figure ever recorded in NHS Lothian.
According to the Royal College of Emergency Medicine, delayed access to emergency treatment in Scotland led to more than 500 deaths in Scotland last year, with a higher number projected for 2022.
Edington Cottage Hospital’s Minor Injuries Unit was closed over a year ago due to bed shortages and staffing issues in other parts of the health board, and the decision was taken without any form of community consultation.
Mr Hoy previously launched a community postal and online survey with 1,939 responses, which found that over 97% of respondents opposed the closure of the Edington, with many residents praising the Edington’s nurses for their professionalism and commitment in providing the highest quality of palliative and end-of-life care.
Hoy said: “Humza Yousaf and the Scottish Government have failed to prioritise funding our health service at a time where waiting times have soared to their worst on record.
“We have also seen the Health Secretary fail to support local healthcare facilities like Edington Cottage Hospital, which he decided to close alongside NHS Lothian over a year ago without consulting local NHS staff or residents through the use of emergency GOLD Command powers following on from the Covid pandemic.
“The Edington was closed due to issues elsewhere in the health service, and its closure has unfortunately led to several nursing staff quitting the NHS altogether.
“There is a complete lack of accountability and transparency of decision-making, which is why I believe now is the time for Humza Yousaf to resign and the Scottish Government to shift its priorities away from independence and the nationalisation social care, and towards funding local health and social care, as well as providing more support for families to help with the cost-of-living.”
