By Professor John Robertson:

From BBC Wales two days ago:

Hospital waiting list tops 800,000 for first time ¹

Scotland?

From the doctors’ trade union, the BMA, in July 2024:

As of March 2024, more than 690,000 people were on the NHS Scotland waiting list for inpatient and outpatient treatments, which is the highest number ever recorded.²

Shorter in Scotland than in Wales? Yes, but Scotland has a bigger population so the gap per head is even greater.

With 5.44 million to Wales’ 3.16 million, Scotland’s population served by NHS Scotland is 1.7 times greater.

So, for a fair, pro rate, per head, comparison, we need to multiply the Welsh waiting list of 880 by 1.7 to get 1 377, almost exactly twice the Scottish figure, per head.

Sources:

1. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c20n4yy395zo?xtor=AL-72-%5Bpartner%5D-%5BBBC+England%5D-%5Bheadline%5D-%5Bnews%5D-%5Bbizdev%5D-%5Bisapi%5D&at_link_id=E14EFB6A-91FF-11EF-AF64-AF6FC9BB19C0&at_ptr_name=twitter&at_format=link&at_campaign=Social_Flow&at_link_type=web_link&at_medium=social&at_link_origin=BBCWalesNews&at_campaign_type=owned&at_bbc_team=editorial
2. https://www.bma.org.uk/advice-and-support/nhs-delivery-and-workforce/pressures/nhs-under-pressure-scotland#:~:text=Waiting%20lists%20continue%20to%20grow,elective%20care%20preceded%20the%20pandemic.