More than a quarter of heart attack patients in Scotland waited longer than the target eight minutes for an ambulance in 2015.

Paramedics responded within the target limit for only 71.9% of calls, a fall of 3.4% since 2014. Scottish Government targets dictate at least 75% of cardiac arrest emergency calls should be attended within eight minutes.

The figures, released under a freedom of information request reveal that only one NHS region, west central, met the 75% target.

Results across the year differed greatly from month to month. The worst single month was April in the East Central region which covers Fife, Tayside and Forth Valley. Only 57.97% of ambulances arrived within eight minutes to cardiac arrest patients.

The fall in ambulance response times was criticised by opposition parties.

Jackson Carlow MSP, health spokesperson said: "“It’s no secret that the sooner an ambulance gets to a patient having a heart attack, the better the outcome will be.

“That’s why the eight-minute target is there, and it’s very worrying to see performance against this slipping.

“This is a trend that has to be reversed, and if it remains on a downwards trajectory, lives will be put at risk.

“Ambulance workers do a fantastic job under a great deal of pressure, and these figures show they need more support from the Scottish Government.”

Dr Richard Simpson MSP, public service spokesperson and a former GP said: "Under the SNP Government ambulance staff have found themselves under an unbearable level of of stress and pressure.

"Paramedics do incredible, life-saving work. It is already a high-pressure job, but a whistleblowing survey last year found the job had gotten more stressful, with almost every respondent saying patient safety had been compromised by a lack of resources.

"SNP Health Minister Shona Robison needs to make clear, as a matter of urgency, what support ambulance workers are getting so that patients do not lose out."

Jim Hume MSP, health spokesman, said: “For every minute that defibrillation is delayed after cardiac arrest, chances of survival decrease by 10%.

“So it’s very concerning that ambulance response times are on the rise – trained paramedics and the equipment carried in ambulances such as defibrillators can make the difference between life and death.

“The health secretary needs to examine the reasons why response times are getting longer and whether government support for the Scottish Ambulance Service is enough.”

The Scottish Government however defended their record on the NHS despite the fall in response times.

"Despite attending an increasing number of incidents, the Ambulance Service is saving the lives of more cardiac arrest patients than ever before. The average response time to out-of-hospital cardiac arrest calls is seven minutes 20 seconds. This is a tribute to our hardworking, dedicated paramedics.

"We are committed to go on supporting Ambulance workers to deliver these results. That is why we have increased the Scottish Ambulance Service’s budget by £11.4m, or 5.4%, in 2016/17 – which will see around 300 extra paramedics recruited over the next five years.

"The Scottish Government is determined to increase the number of people who survive a cardiac arrest. That is why, in 2015, we launched a new strategy which aims to save 1000 lives from out-of-hospital cardiac arrest over the next five years and have committed an additional £100,000 to support delivery of the strategy and improve access to defibrillators.

"It is essential that we improve the whole chain of survival including increasing the number of people who have received CPR training, improving access to public access defibrillators and making sure that people who have a cardiac arrest receive the best possible care at the scene and in hospital."