Scottish Conservative and Unionist MSP Jeremy Balfour for Lothian says Humza Yousaf is failing to ease “an intolerable strain” on A&E departments in NHS Lothian.
Jeremy Balfour’s call comes after A&E waiting times in NHS Lothian again failed to hit the SNP’s target.
The SNP insist 95% of A&E patients should be seen within four hours but in Lothian only 64.8% were seen in this timeframe.
At certain hospitals in the health board, the performance was even worse than the board’s overall average. For instance, at the Royal Infirmary Edinburgh, only 53.6% were seen within the target time frame.
Jeremy Balfour MSP says Humza Yousaf must do more than tinker at the edges if NHS Lothian isn’t to suffer a disastrous winter period.
Scottish Conservative and Unionist MSP Jeremy Balfour said: “The A&E waiting time figures in NHS Lothian make for grim reading.
“Humza Yousaf has failed to get on top of this crisis and more and more patients are paying the price.
“Our heroic frontline staff are working flat out in NHS Lothian but they are under an intolerable strain and haven’t been fully resourced by Humza Yousaf.
“The peak winter period is almost upon us and there is little sign of improvement. Humza Yousaf must finally show the leadership required, otherwise the crisis will only worsen in Lothian.”
