Hospital waiting times across the Highlands surge during pandemic
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Hospital waiting times in the Highlands have spiralled by more than 75 per cent during the pandemic, according to new figures.
The increase has been described “of real concern” by Highlands and Islands MSP Jamie Halcro Johnston.
According to the latest statistics from Public Health Scotland the numbers waiting for both outpatient and inpatient appointments has risen sharply across the Highlands.
In the Highland region the number of outpatients waiting for a hospital appointment at the end of the month rose by 77.6 per cent between March 2020 and December 2021.
Outstanding inpatient/day case appointments also rose by 26.7 per cent over the same period.
According to the statistics there were 18,475 patients waiting to be seen in December last year compared with 10,404 in March 2020.
Mr Halcro Johnston said: “These figures are of real concern as they show a health service that is, despite the remarkable efforts of staff, under very great pressure.
“We all understand the impact of the Covid pandemic and, since these figures were collected in December, hopefully there may have been an improvement. But reducing waiting lists must be a focus of the Scottish Government.
“It should be a priority for Nicola Sturgeon and her beleaguered Health Secretary, Humza Yousaf. Unfortunately, all too often, we are left with the very strong impression that the First Minister’s political priorities lie elsewhere.
“Our NHS staff work wonders but they cannot be expected to work miracles. And they certainly can’t be expected to drive down these waiting times without the proper resources and full attention of the Scottish Government.”
A Scottish Government spokesman said: “The pandemic has seen our NHS under the most severe pressure in its 73-year existence. Pausing of non-urgent activity has taken place in health systems across the UK and has inevitably led to a build-up of numbers waiting for treatment, and the emergence of Omicron is continuing to have an impact on existing significant pressure.
“We have to be upfront and honest that recovery will take time, we have to balance competing demands and pressures, making the best decisions we can, none of which are easy nor taken lightly.”
“The NHS Scotland Recovery Plan sets out plans and ambitions for recovery, backed by more than £1 billion of funding. The plan will support an increase in inpatient, daycase and outpatient activity to address the backlogs of care. Key actions include investment of more than £400 million to create a network of National Treatment Centres across Scotland which will significantly increase capacity to deliver elective care.”
NHS Highland has been approached for comment.
