HELENSBURGH’S MSP has criticised the SNP government after more than 7,500 patients waited longer than four hours to be seen at an accident and emergency department.

At the Royal Alexandra Hospital in Paisley - the nearest A&E department to Helensburgh – 7,547 people waited longer than the SNP’s target time of four hours in 2017.

During the week between Christmas and New Year, 65.6 per cent of A&E arrivals at the RAH were seen within four hours – meaning the target time was missed for one in three patients.

Labour MSP Jackie Baillie called for more investment in services at the Vale of Leven Hospital and a new A&E service north of the River Clyde.

She said: “The RAH in Paisley had the third longest waits for A&E in the whole country over the festive period.

“Our doctors, nurses and NHS staff in Paisley are doing the best they can but they don’t have the resources to cope with the demand from patients in West Dunbartonshire, Helensburgh and Lomond.

“NHS staff are not getting the support they need from the SNP government in Edinburgh and as a result over 7,500 local patients had to wait more than the A&E guaranteed waiting time in 2017.

“Surely now the SNP health secretary will recognise that we need to invest in more services at the Vale of Leven Hospital and a new A&E service, preferably at the Vale, or at the very least north of the river.”

In response, health secretary Shona Robison said: “During my visits to hospitals I’ve been struck time and time again by the dedication and sheer hard work of staff throughout this busy winter.

“I’d like to thank them for their work in supporting any patient or family experiencing a delay to their treatment, and to thank patients themselves for their patience and understanding.

“Scotland’s accident and emergency departments are continuing to outperform those across the rest of the UK and indeed it is to the great credit of NHS staff that even at the height of these exceptional winter pressures, almost eight out of ten people who attended A&E were admitted, transferred or discharged within the four hour target.

“I’ve heard an overwhelming number of reports from clinicians about how flu and respiratory illness, combined with other winter pressures and exceptional and sustained levels of demand, is changing the way they are treating patients arriving at A&E.

“It is crucial that patients with complex care needs and flu receive the right care, not simply the fastest.

"It will take some time for services to recover from the pressures being felt this winter and for the spikes in flu levels to subside – however we are working to provide support to boards wherever they might need it, alongside the £22.4 million investment the Scottish Government has already made available for winter contingencies, to ensure demand is appropriately managed.”

A spokeswoman for NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde said: “We planned for these winter pressures by creating extra capacity – such as extra inpatient beds at Gartnavel General Hospital.

"Our winter plan is designed to create extra resilience and enable us to respond to these additional pressures and open additional in-patient beds where appropriate.

"These winter beds are currently being used as part of our response to the winter pressures we are experiencing.

“Due to the high level of demand, a number of our patients have waited longer than we would have liked to be seen, diagnosed, treated and either admitted or discharged and we apologise to those patients who experienced lengthy waits.

“In 2017, more than 58,000 were seen, diagnosed, treated and either admitted or discharged within four hours at the RAH.

"It is also important to note that attendances in December 2017 at the RAH were 7.9 per cent higher than in December 2016.

"At this busy time we are reminding people to use their emergency services appropriately – for example go to our minor injury units and use the expertise of pharmacists where possible and only to use Emergency Departments for serious injuries and major emergencies.

"Our Minor Injuries Units at West Glasgow, Stobhill and Vale of Leven Hospitals are the best place for the rapid treatment of minor injuries, including sprains and cuts and broken bones. For minor ailments, patients can self care or go to their pharmacy.

"Our staff are working very hard to ensure patients attending all our hospitals are treated as quickly as possible."