A&E stats to be published weekly

Statistics for A&E performance will be published weekly from next month following prolonged pressure from opposition MSPs.

The Scottish Government’s Chief Statistician today confirmed statistics on activity at Scotland’s core emergency departments will be published every seven days from March 3.

Earlier this month First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said she’d requested the move following pressure from Scottish Labour health spokeswoman Jenny Marra during FMQs.

Health Secretary Shona Robison said the new timetable would make NHS Scotland “more accountable” and contain more data than the weekly stats published by NHS England. "We must go further and ensure that the data is not just published but is also readily accessible and understandable​," she said.

Marra said the "U-turn" had been a long time coming. “If the SNP had been prepared to publish A&E figures weekly over the last year this crisis could have been caught at a much earlier stage and hardworking staff given the support they need," she said.

Robison has also asked officials to work with information services to establish a new website with a range of NHS stats on it.

A preliminary version of the ‘NHS Performs’ website is expected to be established by the end of March.