War of words over use of private hospitals by NHS

Almost 70,000 NHSfunded operations have been carried out in private hospitals since 2007.

Official figures revealed 68,175 operations were carried out in the independent sector since the SNP came to power. The figures prompted claims the Scottish Government was relying on private hospitals to prop up the NHS, despite Nicola Sturgeon’s pledges that the independent sector should only be used “at the margins”.

The Scottish Tories have argued for the private sector to be used to ease pressure on the NHS.

Shadow Health Secretary Miles Briggs said: “These figures show that the independent sector has been propping up the SNP’s health service for years.

“That makes the SNP’s position on the matter totally insincere and illogical. It is absolutely right that the independent sector is used to help patients access timely treatment.”

Health Secretary Jeane Freeman’s spokesman said the number of private hospital operations were a “small fraction” of the 12 million NHS procedures which have been carried out since 2007. Her spokesman said: “This is desperate stuff from a Scottish Tory party whose tax plans would slash more than half a billion pounds from money available for Scotland’s NHS.”

The spokesman added that Scottish use of the independent sector amounted to 0.6% of Scottish health spending, compared to 7.3% in England.

The row erupted as Ms Freeman announced £32 million to cut waiting times.