Professor John Robertson OBA

In June 2025, 140 854 people attended Type 1 emergency departments in Scotland and 66.1% were treated within the target time of 4 hours.¹

In England, the equivalent figures were 881 692 and 61.7%.

Critics will note only a 4.4% difference and both well below the 95% target but percentages need to be put in context.

That 4.4% difference means around 6 000 Scots treated on time, in one month, who would not have been had they lived in England and more than 38 000 folk in England not treated on time in one month, who would have been had they lived in a place like Scotland.

There’s something else, I keep meaning to look at. With 10 times the population, shouldn’t 10 times the 140 000 or 1.4 million be going to Type 1 A&E in England and not just 880 000? That’s a huge difference which I’ve never seen mentioned, far less explained, and it perhaps makes the NHS Scotland performance even better than it seems at first.

Readers?

Sources:

1. https://www.publichealthscotland.scot/healthcare-system/urgent-and-unscheduled-care/accident-and-emergency/overview/
2. chrome-extension://efaidnbmnnnibpcajpcglclefindmkaj/https://www.england.nhs.uk/statistics/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/07/Statistical-commentary-June-2025-Mb8P19u-2.pdf