Swinney vows to bring down number of Scots on NHS waiting lists

First Minister John Swinney has spoken of the consequences if the budget is not passed (Jeff Mitchell/PA) - (PA Wire)

John Swinney has vowed to fix problems faced by Scotland’s NHS, such as delayed discharge, saying he hopes to reduce the number of Scots on waiting lists by the end of the year.

The First Minister was questioned about the SNP Government’s record on the NHS after he gave a speech in Edinburgh, warning of a “catastrophic” reduction in service delivery if MSPs fail to pass a budget by the late February deadline.