‘Scandal’ as number of planned operations 14.6% lower than pre-Covid total

The Scottish Government has been accused of “fanning the flames” of an NHS crisis after figures showed almost 49,000 fewer operations were planned in the last year than in the 12 months before Covid.

Public Health Scotland data shows the NHS planned to carry out 286,338 operations in the 12 months from June 2024 to May 2025.

This was up 0.6% – 1,801 procedures – from the previous 12 months, but 14.6% lower than the 335,298 surgeries planned for June 2018 to May 2019.

Public Health Scotland said the number of planned operations had been “steadily increasing” since the pandemic, but from April 2024 “increases in the 12-month rolling average began to plateau”.

It added: “While a year-on-year increase is still being observed, the rate of growth has slowed.”

Labour health spokeswoman Dame Jackie Baillie said: “At a time when thousands of Scots are languishing on waiting lists waiting for treatment, it is a scandal that fewer operations are taking place.

“Far from tackling the crisis in our NHS, the SNP is fanning its flames.”

Scottish Conservative public health spokesman Brian Whittle said the figures “confirm that our NHS is dangerously flatlining” under the “disastrous stewardship” of Health Secretary Neil Gray and First Minister John Swinney.

The May figures also show 8.1% of planned operations – 2,019 procedures – were cancelled either the day before or on the day of surgery.

This included 819 operations cancelled by the hospital for clinical reasons, 692 which were cancelled by patients, and 437 that were cancelled by hospitals for non-clinical reasons, such as a lack of beds.

Mr Whittle said: “Having an operation cancelled at the last minute takes a huge toll on the physical and mental wellbeing of patients.

“The reason the number of cancelled operations remains so stubbornly high is almost two decades of SNP mismanagement.

“From years of shoddy workforce planning to the knock-on effects of their failure to eliminate bed-blocking, Scots are paying the price for nationalist incompetence.”

The Health Secretary welcomed the recent increase in planned operations.

Mr Gray said: “Despite continued pressure on our health service, it is encouraging to see an increase in the number of planned operations in the last year, compared to the previous 12 months.”

He added that the Scottish Government is “working closely with health boards across Scotland to maximise capacity and to ensure that any patients who have had their operations cancelled are seen as quickly as possible”.

He added: “Through an additional £200 million investment contained in the budget to reduce waiting times and improve flow through hospital, we are creating extra appointments and procedures while making greater use of regional and national working.”