According to the latest figures released, NHS in Scotland has missed a range of key waiting-time targets including those for A&E and children and young people that require mental health treatment.

The data also showed that services have achieved the target only two times in the previous seven years. New Health Secretary Shona Robison said that the overwhelming majority of people receive care in shorter timescales but admitted that there is still room for improvement.

Data showed that the national standard for 98 per cent of new attendances at A&E to be seen and then admitted, transferred or discharged within four hours was only met for 93.5 per cent of patients during the month of September. The data also showed that the targets were achieved in September 2009 in the previous time and target hit on only eight occasions since July 2007.

The number of people having to wait for a longer time than the target timeto be discharged from hospital, has also increased in recent times. A total of 321 patients were delayed more than four weeks after they were ready to be sent home during the month of October.