6 January 2026
The Scottish government must prioritise tackling delayed discharges and overcrowding in Emergency Departments (EDs) or risk the entire system collapsing under the strain of an incredibly difficult winter.
That’s the message from the Royal College of Emergency Medicine (RCEM), following the release of ED performance figures today (6 January) by Public Health Scotland (PHS) for November 2025.
One in 15 patients (8,065) waited 12 or more hours in a type-1 ED before being admitted, transferred or discharged in that month alone, the worst figures for a November since records began in 2007.
Further, the new data found that:
- It was the worst November on record for eight-hour waits, which stood at 17,259, or 14.5% of patients attending a major ED
- Only 63% of patients seen within four hours at type-1 EDs, a far cry from the government target of 95%
- Compared to November 2018, waits of four or more hours were four times higher, eight-hour waits were 14 times higher, and 12-hour waits were 39 times higher
- Meanwhile, the number of people attending ED was only 5.5% higher in November 2025 compared to November 2018
Dr Fiona Hunter, RCEM Vice President for Scotland, said: “This is yet another month of predictable broken records for Emergency Medicine performance in Scotland.
“The Scottish government continues to shout about improvements to NHS waiting lists. We, of course, welcome these but a lack of political will to put the same emphasis on addressing delayed discharges means our departments are at risk of total derailment.
“We are now in the depths of winter. Patients are arriving into EDs only to find that there isn’t the space to treat them safely, let alone quickly.
“Very sick and injured people are lining corridors, crammed into whatever space we can find, because of exit block and a complete breakdown in flow out of hospitals.
“With warnings of storms, snow and freezing temperatures, the situation is likely to get a lot worse before it gets better.
“It’s unacceptable that this has been allowed to happen, but it’s not too late to act. We call on the government to support health boards so they can make the improvements needed to tackle delayed discharges and improve patient flow.”