Gray hails ‘outstanding’ NHS staff as target for extra appointments exceeded

Health Secretary Neil Gray has praised the “outstanding efforts” of NHS staff after more than 105,000 additional appointments were provided last year – exceeding the Scottish Government’s target.

The Government had set the goal of using £30 million of extra cash to carry out 64,000 additional appointments by the end of March 2025.

However ministers said health boards had delivered 105,500 appointments and procedures by the target time.

The goal had been for the health service to carry out 40,000 further diagnostic procedures, 12,000 additional surgeries and the same number of new outpatient appointments.

There were only 10,700 additional surgeries carried out – but the Government said 15,800 more outpatient appointments took place.

It added that almost 79,000 diagnostic procedures were carried out – almost double the original target.

Waiting times for key diagnostic tests are now at their lowest since October 2021, the Government added.

Mr Gray said: “We have delivered on our promise, exceeding our original target of 64,000 by more than 41,000 procedures.

“We have carried out nearly double the amount of diagnostic procedures originally pledged, with diagnostic waits now at their lowest since October 2021. This is testament to hard work and dedication of our NHS staff and I thank them for their outstanding efforts.”

He insisted this shows the Government is “moving in the right direction” when it comes to tackling NHS waiting times.

However Mr Gray accepted “many people are still waiting too long”, as he pledged the Government is “determined do more”.

He added: “That is why we are investing record amounts in our health service, targeting waiting list backlogs and delivering 150,000 additional appointments.

“This Government is focused on taking the action needed to cut waiting lists and make it easier for patients to get access to the treatment they need.

“Next week the First Minister will publish our Programme for Government, setting out how we will build on recent progress and further reduce patient waits in the year ahead.”