Scotland NHS Waits Plummet: Over-Year Delays Cut

The number of individuals in Scotland facing year-long waits for NHS appointments or treatments has seen a notable reduction, according to recent Public Health Scotland (PHS) figures. The total number of patients waiting over 12 months decreased from 85,000 to 78,000 by the end of October. This progress is part of a focused government effort to address extensive backlogs within the health service.

The Scottish government has allocated substantial funding, exceeding £100 million, to target specialties with the longest waiting lists, including orthopaedics and ophthalmology. A key promise is to ensure no patient waits longer than a year for an NHS specialist appointment or treatment initiation by March of the upcoming year. Despite this progress, the overall number of ongoing waits for appointments or treatments on October 31st stood at nearly 703,000.

While the reduction in year-long waits is a positive step, challenges remain. Fewer than half of patients referred for outpatient or inpatient appointments are being seen within the 12-week target. Potential setbacks include winter pressures on hospitals and the possibility of strikes by resident doctors over pay. Sustained, long-term planning is deemed essential by medical professionals to meet future targets effectively.