Scots urged to use A&E 'only when necessary' amid 'significant pressures'

Scotland's A&E departments are under "significant pressures" heading into winter, the nation's health secretary has conceded.

Angela Constance urged people to attend A&E "only when necessary", adding that this "supports our dedicated health and social care staff, who remain the cornerstone of our winter response".

It comes as the proportion of patients dealt with inside the government's four-hour target time fell to its second-lowest level on record.

Public Health Scotland's data showed that in the week ending 1 November, 57.8% of patients in A&E were seen and then admitted, transferred or discharged within four hours - down from 58.9% the previous week.

The only time that percentage has been lower was in December 2024, when it fell to 57.5%.

Reacting to the data, Scottish Conservative health spokesperson Miles Briggs warned: "These atrocious figures point to another terrifying and miserable winter ahead in Scotland's A&E departments."

The MSP spoke out after figures showed that in the seven days to 1 November a total of 12,056 people spent longer than four hours in A&E.

This was only the third time ever that the number of patients waiting more than four hours exceeded 12,000 - it happened previously in December 2022 and then again in the week ending 4 October 2026.

Performance continues to be significantly below the Scottish government's target of having 95% of patients admitted, transferred or discharged inside four hours.

The latest figures also showed that 5,095 patients - 17.8% of all cases in A&E - were there for more than eight hours, increasing from the 16.8% of cases the previous week.

And there were 2,464 people - 8.6% of cases - who were in A&E for a minimum of 12 hours, up from 7.9% the previous week.

Mr Briggs said: "John Swinney and his ministers must stop pretending everything is fine and finally get a grip on worsening A&E waiting times, which are leaving patients suffering scandalous delays for treatment.

"The SNP's flimsy winter recovery plan will continue to leave thousands of patients languishing at A&E every single week because frontline services don't have the resources to meet demand."

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Ms Constance said the government is "taking action through our plan to improve hospital flow, which includes expanding Hospital at Home services, and implementing the 'discharge without delay' approach in all health boards this winter, which will see people discharged within three days of admission if clinically appropriate".

She added: "We have launched a new public awareness campaign, shifting the focus to wider healthcare services such as pharmacies, to help people access the right care in the right place, at the right time."

(c) Sky News 2026: Scots urged to use A&E 'only when necessary' amid 'significant pressures'