Long NHS waits fall for sixth month in a row, figures show

Long waits on the NHS have fallen for the sixth month in a row, figures have revealed.

Data from Public Health Scotland shows the number of patients waiting more than 52 weeks for an outpatient appointment decreased by 12.8% between October and November 2025.

The Scottish Government said that means the numbers are now lower than those in April.

Health Secretary Neil Gray linked the decrease to £135.5 million in targeted funding for the NHS.

Figures also showed a 6% drop in the waiting list for new outpatient appointments between April and November.

Meanwhile, there was a 3.8% increase in inpatient-day procedures in the year up to November, with the number rising to 265,000.

Some 1.3 million outpatient appointments took place in the 12 months to November – up 2.8% compared to the previous year.

The Scottish Tories said that even with the fall, the First Minister will still break his promise on long waits.

Dr Sandesh Gulhane, the party’s health spokesman, said: “John Swinney can spin all he wants but the reality is he is set to break another promise on the NHS.

“Having pledged to eradicate waits of over a year by March, tens of thousands of patients are still suffering these intolerable delays.”

He added: “The SNP’s record on the NHS over the last two decades is one of failure and Scots won’t fall for the boasting from Swinney and Neil Gray.

“Instead of sticking to their current approach, the nationalists should do the right thing and back our bold plans to cut bureaucracy and get resources to the front line to ensure patients are seen as quickly as possible.”

Jackie Baillie, deputy leader of Scottish Labour, said: “These figures are deeply troubling and underline the dire state that our health service is in.

“That is despite the pitiful claim by John Swinney that Scotland’s NHS has turned a corner – a claim that a former SNP health secretary this week described as ‘rubbish’.

“When the numbers waiting for diagnostic tests are added to this, the waiting list size balloons to over 830,000.

“Patients and staff working in our NHS know the reality on the ground, even if the First Minister and Neil Gray try to pull the wool over people’s eyes about the crisis our health service is in.”

The Health Secretary said: “These figures demonstrate real and sustained progress in reducing waiting times for patients across Scotland, ensuring thousands more people receive the care they need.

“We have delivered record investment of £21 billion for health and social care, with £135.5 million of additional funding targeted at specialty areas with the longest waits.

“There is still much more to do, but I am encouraged that we are demonstrating consistent month-on-month improvement.

“We remain committed to ensuring no patient waits longer than 52 weeks by March 2026.”