Nicola Sturgeon has been warned that none of the candidates vying to succeed her as First Minister are up to the task of fixing the NHS.
The out-going SNP leader faced further questions today on the massive waiting times facing patients across Scotland as the health service struggles to meet demand.
Anas Sarwar, the Scottish Labour leader, raised the case of a nine-year-old boy suffering from a genetic condition that causes tumours to grow on the nervous system.
"Our NHS is in crisis due to SNP incompetence," he told the First Minister.
"Dr Chris Adams, one of Scotland’s leading paediatric surgeons says his patients are suffering because of a lack of staff and he has had enough.
"One of his patients is Harvey Martin. Harvey is nine years old. He suffers from Neurofibromatosis, which is a genetic condition that causes tumours to grow on the nervous system.
"In August last year, he was told he needed urgent surgery within four weeks to correct a curve in his spine. Seven months on, he is still waiting.
"The curve is now harming his internal organs and he is left in excruciating pain.
"His mum Natalie told me yesterday that she can’t watch her child in pain any longer and she is looking at private options and will fundraise for Harvey’s treatment.
"Across Scotland, thousands of people are opting to pay for treatment because they can’t wait for the NHS."
A recent BBC documentary found that one in five Scots had paid for private healthcare in the last 12 months to avoid massive waiting times on the NHS.
Sarwar added: "This is a crisis sixteen years in the making because of SNP mismanagement of our NHS. None of the candidates to replace Nicola Sturgeon are up the job of fixing it.
"The people who created these problems can’t be the ones to fix them."
Sturgeon pledged to look into the details of Harvey's case before making a fuller response.
She continued: "The NHS, as all of us know, is facing significant challenges. It is largely down to Covid - yes, there were pressures that pre-dated covid.
"But in most countries, the pressures on health services are down to covid.
"That is why we are focusing on the investment, the recruitment, the reform, to help tackle those challenges.
The First Minister added: "Anas Sarwar cited Dr Adams' comments in relation to staff. We have record numbers of staff in our NHS.
"Staffing is up, since this government took office, by 22 per cent."
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