Over-85s Wait Times Show Need for Health and Care Centre

A health and care centre in Milngavie and Bearsden could bring down NHS accident and emergency waiting times for older people in the area, Mid Dunbartonshire’s MP Susan Murray has said. 

Susan highlighted that treating people in their community reduces the likelihood that they will need hospital treatment later and reduces pressure on A&E departments.  

Susan’s call comes as figures unearthed by the Scottish Liberal Democrats show that 1,308 patients aged over 85 in Greater Glasgow and Clyde waited more than 12 hours to be treated in 2024. 

Waits of over 12 hours made up nearly 9 percent of all cases of a patient over 85 attending A&E across the health board area. 

As a former local councillor and community campaigner, Susan launched a petition so others can join the campaign for the much-needed centre and has made it a priority since being elected to the House of Commons.  

Susan Murray MP said: 

“That so many older people waited more than half a day in accident and emergency departments in Greater Glasgow and Clyde should be a wake-up call. If people are treated locally, we know it reduces their chances of needing expensive hospital care further down the line. It is unsettling to think how many older people in our community may have been spared long and distressing A&E waits if they could have been treated on their doorstep. A health and care centre for Milngavie and Bearsden would do just that, which is why I continue to urge the Scottish and UK Governments to work together to provide the resources needed to deliver it.”