Current status: Answered by Neil Gray on 12 September 2024
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on its pledge of £300 million to tackle NHS waiting lists over the next three years, of which £30 million has been allocated to date, and whether any reduction to this sum of money is planned.
Significant activity is already underway following the £30 million investment to target backlogs, announced in the spring. This will see around 12,000 new outpatient appointments, around 12,000 inpatient procedures and over 40,000 diagnostic procedures delivered.
The Scottish Government remains committed to reducing waiting times year-on-year across the NHS as set out in the Policy Prospectus. We will continue to work with all NHS boards to maximise current resources and productivity.
Future funding for commitments will be considered as part of the 2025-26 budget process that will allocate resources to the Government’s priorities of the day.