A leading emergency doctor has said “things are only going to get tougher” for emergency departments across Scotland in winter.
Research from the Royal College of Emergency Medicine (RCEM) in Scotland shows that nine in ten A&E clinical leads in the country are concerned about the pressure they will face.
“Emergency Departments in Scotland have spent this entire year in a state of crisis”, Dr Fiona Hunter, RCEM Scotland Vice President, said.
“Thousands of people each month come to us, only to face waits for more than half a day before they are treated and sent home, transferred elsewhere, or given a hospital bed.”
The RCEM surveyed 163 clinical lead across the UK about how they are managing and their views ahead of winter.
Of the 25 respondents in Scotland, representing almost every emergency department, all but two told RCEM they were either “very” or “extremely” concerned about the pressure they will experience this winter.
Meanwhile, all but one said pressure was “high” or “very high” at the time of the survey.
The same number said they were poorly prepared for winter, while three-quarters said pressure was much higher than the same time last year.
“We know that there is a link between ED overcrowding and an increased chance of death, particularly among the most sick and injured of our patients”, Dr Hunter added.
“That has been the state of play throughout 2026 – and now winter is on the horizon.
“Things are only going to get tougher. Winter brings seasonal illnesses and an associated rise in demand for our services.”
The RCEM is now calling on the Scottish Government to bring down 12-hour waits for ED patients by 50%.
Of the 163 clinical leads across the UK, 91% were very or extremely concerned about winter ED pressures.
Just 3% said their ED was well prepared for the cold months, and two-thirds (67%) described their ED as unsafe
A Scottish Government spokesperson said: “We have recognised the Royal College of Emergency Medicine’s concerns and are working hard to prepare the NHS ahead of winter.
“The Health Secretary Angela Constance recently met the College and is keen to work with it to ease pressures on A&Es. Ministers have been clear that a collective effort will be critical in the months ahead as we look to support our NHS through the winter.”
“The Health Secretary has set out in Parliament a further range of winter planning measures – such as expanding Hospital at Home and renewed calls for eligible patients to get vaccinated against seasonal viruses – that we have been working on with NHS boards and local authorities.”
Follow STV News on WhatsApp
Scan the QR code on your mobile device for all the latest news from around the country
