Scotland ‘turning a corner’ on NHS waiting times, claims Gray

Scotland is “turning the corner” on NHS waiting times, the Health Secretary has said.

Neil Gray’s comments come as new figures show a decline in the number of open waits for outpatient treatment.

The number of open outpatient waits, as of October 31, was 547,179, compared to 555,586 the previous month, according to statistics released by Public Health Scotland on Tuesday.

Figures for inpatient or day case treatment showed there were 155,807 waits, compared to 156,862 the previous month.

First Minister John Swinney has pledged to eradicate year-long waits for treatment by March of next year, but 78,587 waits for treatment remain open, according to the statistics.

In outpatient care, 51,319 waits remain ongoing after a year, down from 56,189 the previous month, while there have also been decreases in the number of waits of longer than 78 weeks – falling to 16,093 – and two years, which dropped to 6,350.

But the number of outpatient waits of longer than three years increased again between September and October, rising from 628 to 703.

For inpatient or day case treatment, the number of open waits of longer than one year dropped to 27,268 while 78-week waits fell to 11,513, along with two-year waits of 4,896.

The number of cases open for three years or more also fell from 1,187 to 1,034.

Figures were also released on Tuesday of waiting times for eight key diagnostic tests, showing an overall drop in the number of cases to be seen, from 146,907 to 146,005 between the end of August and the end of September.

The number of open waits of longer than 52, 26 and 13 and six weeks all fell during that time while the number of those waiting for less than six weeks increased.

Speaking during a visit to Gartnavel Hospital in Glasgow, Health Secretary Neil Gray said: “These figures show we are turning a corner in our efforts to reduce the backlog caused by the pandemic and our plan is working – long waits are reducing and we are treating patients more quickly.

“We are seeing downward trends across nearly all waiting list indicators and this is testament to the tireless work of our NHS staff – I thank them for their outstanding efforts.

“The First Minister put health at the very heart of this year’s budget and we are seeing the tangible impact of our additional targeted investment of £135.5 million.

“Outpatient waits over a year are down 17.9% and inpatient/daycase waits have reduced by 26.1% – this is the first time we have seen this level of sustained improvement since the pandemic.

“Thousands more appointments, operations and procedures are being delivered this year, and we are determined to continue to build on this momentum, ensuring people receive the treatment they need as soon as possible.”

Scottish Tory health spokesman Dr Sandesh Gulhane described the figures as “appalling” and should be a “source of shame” for ministers.

“On their watch, more than 51,000 Scots have been forced to wait over a year for treatment while over 6,000 waited more than two years — despite nationalist ministers promising these intolerable waits would be eradicated by the end of last year.

“These year-plus delays — which were virtually eliminated in England under the previous UK Conservative government — take a severe toll on patients’ physical and mental health.

“Yet instead of putting a credible plan in place to address this crisis, Neil Gray has doubled down on his feeble winter recovery plan.”

Scottish Lib Dem leader Alex Cole-Hamilton said the number of long waits was “hurting the economy” by keeping people away from work.

“SNP health secretaries have come and gone, each promising to bring down waits, but failing every time,” he said.

“Waiting times in Scotland are far worse than in England and the much-lauded national treatment centres have yet to materialise.

“After almost two decades in charge, the SNP have proved to be disastrous for your health.”

Scottish Labour deputy leader Dame Jackie Baillie said the progress was “too little, too late”.

She said: “Latest figures show there are nearly 850,000 ongoing waits for tests, treatments and appointments in NHS Scotland.

“Any progress dealing with Scotland’s waiting list emergency is welcome, but this is too little, too late from the SNP.

“The SNP has had more than four years to deliver the recovery we were promised in the last election, but it has squandered the opportunity.”