A&E Targets 'Miss The Point'

Weekly A and E targets are 'missing the point' in assessing how the NHS is performing.

That's the view of the leader of Scotland’s doctors, ahead of a speech to professionals. Earlier this year, the Scottish Government started reporting A&E activity weekly after pressure from opposition MSPs.

They're also urging politicians not to turn the NHS into a political football, and to avoid making "unqualified, unfunded and unrealistic promises about the NHS" as they prepare for the 2016 Scottish Parliament elections.

Dr Peter Bennie, chair of BMA Scotland, said:

"Earlier this year, the Scottish Government bowed to pressure from opposition parties and began reporting weekly A&E activity. All this has served to do is feed an obsession amongst our media and politicians each week in the parliament.  The publication of these weekly statistics completely misses the point and diverts attention from the real issues in our health service.  The problems that exist within our hospitals extend far beyond the front door and we need to look at the whole patient journey.  

"Hot on the heels of last year’s referendum and the recent UK general election where health issues were prominent, we are now gearing up for the next election campaign, this time for the Scottish parliament where decisions about health and the NHS in Scotland are actually made.

"I want to encourage politicians to avoid falling into the much-too-easy trap of making unqualified, unfunded and unrealistic promises about the NHS.  I would urge each of the parties to think clearly about what needs to change for the NHS to be sustainable for the long term – not just the next five years.

"Politicians must listen to the profession and we all need to engage with the people of Scotland to make sure our NHS survives the current pressures, and doctors can regain the confidence that comes from working in a system that delivers the best care to patients."