HEALTH Secretary Humza Yousaf has announced a set of “ambitious” but “still achievable” targets in a bid to tackle NHS waiting times – including a pledge to end waits of two years or more for some patients within weeks.
The Scottish Government is seeking to end two-year waits for outpatient appointments in most specialities by the end of August.
It also hopes to eliminate waits of two years or more for inpatient or day case treatment in most specialities by the end of September.
NHS statistics show that at the end of March this year, 10,613 people had been waiting two years or more for help in hospital, either as an inpatient or on a day treatment basis.
Further figures from Public Health Scotland show at that time there were 2831 patients who had been waiting 104 weeks or longer for an outpatient appointment.
Yousaf said NHS waiting times had “grown as a result of the pandemic”.
He added this is “why we now need to focus on treating these people that are waiting too long for treatment”.
Speaking after a visit to Perth Royal Infirmary, he said the new targets are “some of the most ambitious” in the UK and could take years, given pressures faced by the pandemic.
Yousaf said: “One way we’re doing this is by protecting, as best as we possibly can, elective care, so we’re making sure that it is not affected by some of the challenges in unscheduled care.
“So, creating what you might call hot and cold sites, and trying to protect elective surgery as best as we possibly can. It is ambitious, but I think they’re achievable.”
Targets also include seeing all those who have been waiting 18 months for an outpatient appointment in most specialties by the end of December and the others by the end of March 2023. Those waiting 18 months for treatment should be seen by the end of September next year and the rest by September 2024.
Yousaf said: “From speaking to patients and clinicians across the country, I know there is a physical and mental consequence in having to wait a long period to be treated, that is why addressing long waits is a key focus of our plans for NHS recovery.”
Funding for the new drive to cut waiting times will come from the £1 billion allocated for the NHS under Covid Recovery Plan.
The initiative has been welcomed by Alastair Murray, chair of the Scottish Committee for Orthopaedics and Trauma.
Murray said: “Scottish orthopaedics very much welcomes the introduction of targets to address the growing number of people waiting for essential treatment.
“It is hoped that the targets set out will drive ongoing efforts to reduce waiting times for orthopaedic surgery in Scotland.”
