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The proportion of A&E patients seen within the four-hour target has reached the second-lowest level since NHS Scotland records began.

New ISD Scotland statistics show 14.5% of patients attending accident and emergency departments in November waited more than four hours.

The targets for patients to be admitted, transferred or discharged within four hours has only been missed by a greater margin once since 2007, according to the official figures.

There were 141,868 attendances to A&E departments across Scotland during November 2018, with 85.5% seen in the required time.

A total of 3,320 patients had to wait more than eight hours in an A&E department, while 987 spent more than 12 hours waiting for treatment.

The only time a lower proportion of patients were seen within the target time - set in 2007 by the Scottish Government - was in December 2017, when it dropped to 85.1%.

Compared to November 2018, there has been a 5.8% drop in instances where A&E departments have met the target - which has not been hit since August 2017.

(Image: 2010 Getty Images)

The worst-performing Scottish health board was NHS Lothian, where 81.4% of patients were seen within the target period, followed by NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde (81.8%) and NHS Ayrshire and Arran (82.2%).

In the Western Isles, 99.4% of patients were admitted to hospital, transferred or discharged within the four hours - the only health board above the 98% figure previously considered the "standard" for A&E waiting times.

The figures apply to all emergency care attendances including emergency departments and minor injury units and patients on trolleys.

Scottish Conservative health spokesman Miles Briggs said: "These figures are a truly shocking indictment of the SNP's management of our NHS.

"It is utterly unacceptable that almost 1,000 people waited in A&E for over 12 hours last month, most likely in fear and pain."

He added: "These dreadful statistics are the result of the SNP's decisions to reduce capacity and staff numbers within our NHS.

"Hospital staff are clearly unable to cope and the result on morale is devastating.

"It is becoming clearer by the day that the SNP cannot be trusted to run our NHS."

(Image: Getty Images)

Scottish Labour health spokeswoman Monica Lennon accused the Scottish Government of complacency.

She said: "SNP ministers can't keep ignoring that pressure on A&E is increasing and patients are waiting longer.

"Experts have been warning for months about a lack of preparedness in our NHS for winter pressures.

"NHS staff are being pushed to breaking point and our hospitals are struggling like never before."

She added: "The SNP must explain why the A&E waiting time target has not been met in two whole years.

"Scottish Labour will continue to make the case for the right investment in health and social care services and will speak up for NHS staff, trade unions and patients who are demanding better."

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