The SNP Government’s Accident and Emergency waiting time target has been missed yet again in the Scottish Borders, new figures reveal.

Official statistics from the Scottish Government’s Information Services Division (ISD) Scotland show 92.3% of patients were seen within four hours at A&E departments during the week ending 1 July, short of the 95% target- with 51 patients waiting for more than 4 hours and 9 patients waiting longer than 8 hours.

South Scotland Labour MSP Colin Smyth believes it is time for the SNP Government to give our NHS the resources it needs or the queues in our hospital wards will only grow longer.

Colin Smyth MSP said “In the winter the SNP Government blamed the weather for the failure to meet Accident and Emergency targets, but they can hardly do that now. Month after month the Governments own targets are being missed- leaving some patients hours to be seen. Local patients and staff deserve better than this. Unless we see additional funding and more staff made available for our local NHS, the queues in our hospitals will only grow under this SNP Government. We need an NHS that is properly staffed and funded to ensure patients get the treatment they deserve and need.”