NHS 24 CALLERS 4 HOURS ON HOLD

New figures reveal patient ordeals after average wait on line soars to 21 minutes

- ANDREW QUINN

WAITING times for calls to NHS 24 to be answered are "skyrocketing", with more than four hours recorded in one case.

Freedom of information data showed the wait of four hours, four minutes and 24 seconds took place in September this year - including time spent in the virtual queue.

It was pipped by the wait one caller experienced in July, which lasted four hours and 30 seconds.

In 2023, the average wait to speak to an operator was 12 minutes. This rose to 21 minutes in 2024 up to the end of October.

First Minister John Swinney visited an NHS 24 call centre in Dundee this week, to see preparations for the busy festive period. He encouraged Scots to f seek help online if possible, noting that NHS 24 data shows a quarter of calls to 111 could be dealt with this way.