Scotland's top A&E doctor warns emergency care is unsafe and unsustainable

Fiona Hunter, a leading emergency doctor, said that Scottish accident and emergency departments are providing care that she deems unsafe, with patients left on corridor trolleys for up to three days despite a four-hour design limit. She cited severe overcrowding, staffing shortfalls and the inability to isolate patients as drivers of excess mortality. Some hospitals are operating at five times their intended capacity without additional staff, causing high sickness rates among clinicians.

Health Secretary Angela Constance has outlined a winter preparedness strategy, yet Hunter argues the plan fails to tackle the core issues. Constance also highlighted ongoing problems such as delayed discharges and bed blocking, and announced a £2.3 billion investment in social care to improve health-social care integration.