2-year NHS wait isn’t acceptable, admits FM
IT IS ‘not acceptable’ for a pensioner to be waiting two years for NHS treatment, Nicola Sturgeon admitted yesterday.
The First Minister maintained her government was overseeing ‘progress’ in the recovery of the NHS after the pandemic despite being confronted by concerns about treatment delays.
Figures show the number of people waiting more than two years for NHS treatment has risen from 648 last year to 10,613 this year, a 16-fold increase.
Speaking at yesterday’s First Minister’s Questions, Scottish Conservative leader Douglas Ross highlighted the case of Carol Cunningham, 64, who was this week given an appointment with a Glasgow Royal Infirmary cardiologist for July 2024.
Mr Ross said the problems are getting ‘far worse’ despite the
Scottish Government making an NHS recovery plan.
Miss Sturgeon said: ‘In terms of the case cited in the media today, no I don’t think that is acceptable. A review of that particular follow-up outpatient appointment not a first outpatient appointment, is being undertaken and contact with the patient will be made.’
She admitted that the number of patients waiting ‘an unacceptably long time’ has risen over the past year but blamed the Covid pandemic.
Mr Ross also highlighted the case of a constituent in Lossiemouth, Moray, waiting four-anda-half years from his initial medical consultation to getting the operation he needs. He spoke of Kelso pensioner Alan Turner, referred for a knee replacement last year and told he would have to wait up to three years to be seen. Instead he was offered private therapy south of the Border funded by NHS Scotland.
He said: ‘People are deteriorating. More often, patients are having to have more devastating treatment, treatment with bigger side effects that has a bigger impact on their quality of life, for the same outcome.
‘First Minister, if our NHS is currently in this position, how bad is it going to be by winter, when many more people need treatment? Will you act now, instead of waiting for the crisis to strike like you did last year?’
Miss Sturgeon said there had been ‘progress’ before the pandemic but pausing all but the most urgent treatments had had an impact.
She added: ‘These challenges are inescapable given what we have lived through in these past two years, but this Government continues to get on with supporting the NHS.’
Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar highlighted the case of an eight-year-old diagnosed with autism ten months ago who is still waiting to see a psychiatrist before medication can be prescribed.
Mr Sarwar asked why the youngster has had to suffer with no support for almost a year.
Miss Sturgeon said: ‘They should not have to, and I am not going to say that is acceptable. But again, in mental health treatment as in the NHS more generally, we are investing to support health boards to deliver treatment and catch up with the impact of the pandemic.’