Emergency doctors’ chilling winter warning as 96% claim A&E departments are not prepared

Senior emergency doctors in Scotland warn that A&E departments are entering winter under severe pressure and are poorly prepared for a seasonal rise in patients. The findings raise concerns about overcrowding and long waits, which clinicians say can harm patients, particularly those who are seriously ill or injured.

In a Royal College of Emergency Medicine survey, 96 per cent of 25 Scottish clinical leads said their department was poorly prepared, and all but two were very or extremely concerned about winter pressures. Across the UK, 91 per cent of 163 respondents expressed serious concern, two-thirds said their department was unsafe, and only 3 per cent considered it well prepared. The college is urging the Scottish Government to halve waits of more than 12 hours in emergency departments.