Waiting list reductions across NHS Scotland

The Scottish Government estimates that the latest round of NHS funding to reduce waiting lists could deliver more than 60,000 additional procedures and appointments.

Scottish health secretary Neil Gray says the funding will help NHS Scotland maximise capacity, build greater resilience, and deliver year-on-year reductions to those waiting the longest.

The money will be funnelled towards specialties that can generate the most impact, including:

• Cancer
• Ophthalmology
• Orthopaedics
• Dermatology
• Diagnostics

Ultimately, health leaders in Scotland believe the funding will help boards deliver 12,000 additional procedures, 40,000 extra diagnostic procedures, and 12,000 more outpatient appointments. Elevated activity levels are expected over the coming weeks.

“This initial investment of £30m will target reductions to national backlogs that built up through the pandemic,” said Gray during a visit to an ophthalmology ward in Dundee.

Approximately £2m has been invested in ophthalmology out of the £30m, with the target set for one cataract procedure every 30 minutes on standard lists.

Gray added: “This is all part of our programme to tackle waiting times, including waiting lists for orthopaedic treatment and diagnostics for cancer.

“Together, our actions will help Scotland’s NHS maximise capacity, build greater resilience and deliver year-on-year reductions in the number of patients who have waited too long for treatment.

“The number people waiting over two years for a new outpatient appointment is down by more than half in the last two years, and we want to build on that progress.”

The funding represents the first installment of the £100m annual funding that former Scottish first minister Humza Yousaf announced last year. The goal is to clear around 100,000 inpatient and day cases from NHS Scotland’s waiting list. The £30m injection was initially announced in April.

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