Veteran Inverclyde councillor defends IRH casualty figures

The Tele revealed last week that the number of people waiting for more than 12 hours to be seen by casualty staff at the IRH rocketed from just four in 2019 to 326 last year, according to government body Public Health Scotland (PHS) - an increase of more than 8,000 percent.

The numbers waiting for more than four hours at the Greenock hospital's A&E service have almost doubled in the same period.

Councillor Robert Moran defended the figures on Inverclyde Royal Hospital's A&E performance. (Image: George Munro) However Councillor Robert Moran says his 92-year-old mother was seen last week in two hours after she was referred by her GP with kidney problems.

Councillor Moran, who chairs the integrated joint board that oversees the work of Inverclyde's health and social care partnership (HSCP), was impressed with the compassion and care shown to her and other patients by the medical staff.

The former Provost added: "I am a user of the service, just like anyone else.

"I took my mum up to the A&E last week and the waiting time was two hours.

"Once she was seen by a doctor she was admitted to a ward for treatment.

"Inverclyde Royal Hospital has always been one of the better performing accident and emergency units, and for that I am truly thankful."

READ MORE: Hundreds left waiting for more than 12 hours at Inverclyde Royal A&E, figures reveal

As chair of Inverclyde's integrated joint board and a non executive director of Greater Glasgow and Clyde health board, Mr Moran, who has been a councillor for 30 years, admitted more needs to be done to reduce waiting times and take the pressure off hard pressed medical staff.

He added: "You have to live in a parallel universe if you don't think there is something far wrong with what is happening across the whole of Scotland.

"We know the figures are not good enough, and they have to be improved.

"There is no getting away from the fact the NHS has been underfunded for years and years.

"The nurses are under extreme pressure because we haven't trained enough of them.

"Inverclyde Royal has taken on 23 new doctors and that will make a difference. 

"Going forward there needs to be reinvestment in the NHS and a new look at what we do and how we can do it better."

A&E is a door too many are using, according to Councillor Robert Moran. (Image: Newsquest) Councillor Moran says people should look at alternative sources of treatment before they turn up at A&E, such as NHS 24 or their local pharmacist or optician.

He added: "A&E is a front door to the NHS, and it's a door too many are using. 

"They have to ask themselves: 'do I have to be there? Is there something else I can do to help my situation?'."

Last week local MP Labour's Martin McCluskey called for urgent action from both the Scottish Government and NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde to reduce A&E delays at the IRH.

Out of 33,562 people who attended A&E in 2019, 3603 waited more than four hours, 223 more than eight and four more than 12.

However last year 6,270 out of 29,181 casualty patients had a delay of more than four hours, 1,051 waited more than eight and 326 more than 12.

Figures for the first eight months of 2024 show that 5,521 out of 20,471 patients waited more than four hours in A&E to see a doctor or nurse - almost 30 per cent.

According to Public Health Scotland, the majority of IRH patients are seen within four hours, though the numbers have dropped since 2019.

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NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde also defended Inverclyde's A&E record, saying the hospital was one of the best performing in Scotland.

A spokesperson added: "The latest PHS statistics show more than 80 per cent of patients were seen within four hours, compared with a Scotland-wide average of 62.7 per cent.

"However, as is the case throughout Scotland, all services at the IRH, including A&E, are under considerable pressure, and have been since the beginning of the pandemic."