NHS Grampian bosses have urged patients to phone ahead and only visit accident and emergency if the situation is ‘life-threatening’ amid ‘sustained pressure’ on the services in A&E at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary (ARI).

The comments came following ‘terrifying’ new statistics on waiting times in A&E at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary (ARI).

A target has been set by the Scottish Government to see, treat and either admit patients to hospital or discharge them within four hours.

But new stats have found that while some 70% of interactions met the target across NHS Grampian, it was fewer than 50% in the region’s flagship hospital of ARI.

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