Patients spent up to 25 hours on trolleys in corridors waiting for treatment and in some cases were left lying on "urine-soaked sheets" and in another on a "blood-stained pillow for several hours" at the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh.
Healthcare Improvement Scotland (HIS) inspectors also raised concerns over fire safety in the overcrowded A&E after two visits to the hospital - the first of which was carried out between February 20 to 22 and a further unannounced follow-up in March.
The watchdog found "multiple systemic failures" in a report published on Thursday but NHS Lothian said a major improvement drive was already underway.
The health board added that the hospital was had just endured its busiest winter on record ahead of the inspections.
At the time of the inspection, the emergency department was on some days operating at over three times its capacity.
The report described this as unsafe and a "fire safety risk" with the evacuation plan in place at the time not reflecting the "significant" impact of overcrowding.
Source: The Herald, 18 May 2023
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