Public health minister Minto apologises ‘from the heart’ over treatment delays

A minister has offered an apology “profusely from my heart” for patients who have waited too long for NHS treatment, as she and senior health board leaders faced questions from the public.

Public health minister Jenni Minto was quizzed over lengthy waits for long-term health conditions and audiology services.

She joined the executive team of Scotland’s largest health board, NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, on Monday as the health board presented its annual review at a public event in the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital (QEUH).

The SNP minister said leaders at the health board, which has a £4.6 billion annual budget, are also listening to emergency department clinicians who raised patient safety concerns.

Ms Minto chaired a question and answer session at the hospital, after health board leaders presented their annual review for 2024-25.

Health board leaders pledged to have 1,000 patients treated at home next year through a “virtual hospital” initiative designed to free up beds and reduce delayed discharge.

One woman at the meeting asked the minister and health board leaders about their efforts to bring down waiting times, especially for those dealing with long-term conditions.

Ms Minto said: “Waiting lists are too long, we recognise that.

“We recognise that people have had to wait too long and the impact that has on the way people are living their lives.

“And I apologise profusely, from my heart, because that shouldn’t be happening in Scotland.”

She said the Scottish Government has invested more than £110 million this year to increase appointments across Scotland this year, with 213,000 more appointments expected than the previous year.

The SNP minister said the Government is exceeding its commitment from the programme for government, where it set out plans to increase NHS capacity.

Ms Minto also said she dealt with issues around long-term health conditions “very regularly”.

Responding to a point about the infections scandal and the safety of hospitals, she said keeping facilities clean and well-staffed were key expectations for the health service.

A man told the meeting he had faced a wait of almost two and a half years for hearing aids, with Ms Minto saying this was “not acceptable”.

Another patient urged the minister to consider outsourcing audiology services, leading to Ms Minto saying nothing is “off the table”.

Earlier, the health board’s deputy chief executive, William Edwards, admitted emergency department performance “isn’t where we need it to be” – with the annual figures showing 69.2% seen within the four-hour target.

However, he said the board hoped to increase this to 75% by March next year.