Highlands and Islands MSP Donald Cameron has commented on the latest figures for A&E waiting times in the NHS Highland health board region.

The Scottish Conservative MSP said:

“On the face of it, the fact that 86.3% of people in the NHS Highland region are being seen within four hours at Accident and Emergency departments may appear to be good news, but it remains significantly below the Scottish Government’s own target of 95%.

“And we also have to factor in the geography of our region,  meaning that some patients will have already travelled a long way to get to hospital in the first place.

“It’s clear that there is considerable  pressure on many hospitals in the NHS Highland area and our local NHS staff need all the support we can give them.

“This is why the Scottish Conservatives want to see a one-off £600 million investment in our NHS to specifically tackle waiting times, ensuring more people are seen quicker and the experience of people requiring treatment improved.

“SNP Ministers should consider backing our plans, as well as reviewing the self-isolation rules for fully vaccinated NHS staff to reduce the risk of our hospitals being left understaffed”.