More than 150,000 Scots see their work affected due to spiralling NHS waits

Scottish Liberal Democrat leader and health spokesperson Alex Cole-Hamilton MSP has today criticised the SNP government for dealing a “hammer blow” to the economy and thousands of lives as he revealed that more than 150,000 Scots are seeing their work impacted due to waits for NHS treatment.  

The figures are based on the latest Office for National Statistics survey, conducted between October 2023 and January 2024, which examines the impact of being on an NHS waiting list. The survey found that over 1 in 5 Scottish adults report they are waiting for a hospital appointment, test, or to start receiving medical treatment through the NHS.

Among those who said their lives had been impacted by waiting for NHS treatment, 23% said their work had been affected, the equivalent to 159,396 Scots across the country.  Of these, the survey indicates that around 44,630 (28%) had reduced their hours, 22,315 (14%) had gone on long-term sick leave and 15,939 (10%) had stopped working to go on illness related benefits.

Scottish Liberal Democrats are calling on the new Health Secretary, Neil Gray, to overhaul the failed recovery plan of his predecessors and place a renewed focus on recruiting and retaining staff.

Mr Cole-Hamilton said:

“There should be a cigarette-style warning affixed to every nationalist leaflet: voting SNP is bad for your health.

“From Humza Yousaf to Michael Matheson, our NHS has known only crisis, and their devastating neglect is now dealing a hammer blow to the economy and thousands of lives.

“People are being left in limbo, stuck on long-term sick leave or having to cut back their hours because they can’t get the treatment they desperately need.

“To fix the economy, we need to bring the NHS back from the brink.

“From social care to mental health, from dentistry to GPs, Scottish Liberal Democrats are the only party to have set out comprehensive plans for tackling burnout among staff, getting patents seen and ensuring swift access to healthcare close to home.”