Operations activity stagnating below pre-pandemic levels

Responding to Public Health Scotland figures published today which show that the number of planned operations is still falling short of pre-pandemic levels, with 14.9% fewer operations planned between November 2023 and October 2024 than were planned in the 12 months prior to the pandemic, Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Alex Cole-Hamilton MSP said:

“Behind every cancelled operation is a patient who has been left in pain and worried if they will ever get the treatment they need. This SNP government is letting them down.

“These figures are further proof of the dangerous backlogs and pressures raised by the Auditor General in his damning report. The Health Secretary must rewrite the failed NHS Recovery Plan because after three years staff are overwhelmed and the system is going backwards on so many measures.”