NHS waiting list is now 864,000 long

Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Alex Cole-Hamilton MSP today called on the Health Secretary to get a handle on the NHS crisis as statistics revealed that 864,366 people were stuck on an NHS waiting list.

Public Health Scotland statistics published today show:

• 149,912 patients were waiting to be seen for eight key diagnostic tests at the end of June

• 556,896 were still waiting on an outpatient list at the quarter ending 30th June 2024

• 155,558 patients were still waiting on an inpatient lists at the quarter ending 30th June 2024.

• Nicola Sturgeon’s Treatment Time Guarantee was broken for more than 130,000 Scots.

Alex Cole-Hamilton commented:

“These intolerably long waits are causing untold anxiety in those wating on diagnostic tests or to receive treatment. They deserve much better than this.  

“The blame for this lies solely at the door of the SNP and their mismanagement of the health system. They have failed to give our hard-working NHS staff the beds, safe staffing and resources they desperately need.    

“As we get closer to the winter months, it is vital that Neil Gray gets a handle on this. It is time he scrapped Humza Yousaf's failed recovery plan and bring forward a strategy that will meaningfully tackle burnout among staff and put their voices first as they tackle the crisis. He also needs to help people leave hospital on time through a new minimum wage for care workers that is £2 higher. Unless we fix care services, we will never fix the NHS."