MORE than 700 patients had to wait longer than 12 hours to be seen at NHS Ayrshire and Arran A&E departments so far this year.

Figures released by Scottish Government's Information Services Division (ISD) show that 776 patients this year had to wait longer than 12 hours to either be admitted, transferred or discharged at Ayr and Crosshouse Hospital emergency departments.

The data has been collected from January 6 to July 7, giving a weekly breakdown.

It also reveals that the local health board has broken the national standard of four hours for A&E waiting times on 7,168 occasions.

South Scotland Labour MSP, Colin Smyth has blasted the waiting times branding them a “scandal”.

Colin Smyth said: "Across Ayrshire and Arran patients are being left over 12 hours in Accident and Emergency waiting rooms and hospital beds despite supposedly legally binding targets being set to ensure any patient attending A&E must be seen and subsequently admitted, transferred or discharged within four hours.

"With 776 patients waiting over 12 hours in NHS Ayrshire and Arran A&E departments alone this situation is nothing short of a scandal.

"The Scottish Government need to wake up to the crisis in A&E departments and take immediate action.

"Their complacency must end by investing in our NHS to cope with increasing demand and support our frontline NHS staff who go above and beyond for patient care.”

But Jeane Freeman MSP, secretary for health defended the figures and insisted that waiting times reflected the "complete patient journey".

Ms Freeman said: "Waiting Time figures recorded by ISD reflect the complete patient journey, not just the time a person attending A&E waits to be seen and treated by a member of staff – but from the time they arrive at the A&E department until they are either admitted, discharged or transferred to another hospital.

"The Scottish Government continues to work closely with NHS Ayrshire and Arran, to minimise unnecessary long delays in A&E departments and deliver safe, person centred and effective care to every patient, every time through the six essential action improvement programme.

"To support this work and winter planning NHS Ayrshire and Arran received over £1.4 million in 2018-19.

Joanne Edwards, Director for Acute Services NHS Ayrshire and Arran told the Advertiser: “At times, we experience a high demand for our unscheduled care services and our staff work hard to assess and treat patients as quickly as possible

"We are aware that in recent months, the number of patients waiting more than 12 hours has been high and apologise to any patient who has to wait longer for either discharge or transfer to an appropriate setting from our emergency departments

“We are making persistent efforts to find ways to eliminate these waits for patients and to provide care within the waiting times standards.”