NHS Forth Valley: Longest ever waits at FVRH's emergency department

They said local health and care services are continuing to experience significant pressures and, despite their efforts to free up beds, the situation has deteriorated in the last few weeks.

Their admission comes as latest figures show the waits at the hospital’s emergency department are the worst they have ever been.

Only 38.1 per cent of those attending at the Larbert hospital’s A&E unit were seen, admitted or discharged within the four hour target set by the Scottish Government. This compares to an average across Scotland of 65.3 per cent.

The previous worst figure was in mid-September when it was 38.3 per cent. By comparison in Forth Valley this time last year the figure was 46.9 per cent.

The statistics show that 1065 people turned up at the emergency department looking to be seen. The last time a similar number came through the doors was in November 2021 when 59.8 per cent were seen within the four hour period.

Of those attending last week, 659 waited more than four hours, 299 more than eight hours and 127 more than 12 hours.

A spokesperson for NHS Forth Valley said: “We continue to see very high numbers of seriously unwell people in our emergency department who require urgent inpatient care as well as high levels of patients who are experiencing delays in being discharged or transferred from Forth Valley Royal Hospital. This, along with ongoing cases of Covid-19, is placing exceptional pressure on our assessment and inpatient areas and means patients are having to wait for longer to be assessed, discharged, or admitted.

“A wide range of actions are being taken increase capacity and staffing across local health and social care services. In addition, work is underway to explore how we can bring together and build on local community and care home services to help avoid patients presenting at ED and assessment areas.”

They added that they are working with local GPs to schedule referrals to acute assessment areas more evenly throughout the day to help avoid surges in attendances during the late afternoon and early evening periods.

In addition, medical and surgical one-stop clinics are being introduced where patients can receive rapid tests and treatment to help avoid unnecessary admissions and relieve pressure on the ED and assessment areas.

The health board spokesperson said local people can help avoid long waits by calling NHS 24 on 111 first if they need urgent healthcare advice and treatment for an illness or injury which is not life-threatening. They can arrange a consultation with a local healthcare professional who can provide advice or make an appointment at their Urgent Care Centre or Minor Injuries Unit so they don’t need to wait when they attend.

Local pharmacists can also provide healthcare advice and treatment for many common health conditions and GP practices can provide advice and arrange appointments with a range of healthcare professionals, including mental health nurses and physiotherapists.