By Professor John Robertson OBA
From Public Health Scotland today:
Of all pathways completed, 85.7% (242,384) were fully measurable against the 18-week standard. 68.1% (164,983) of these pathways were completed within 18 weeks of referral, an increase from 65.5% in the previous quarter.1
From the Nuffield Trust in April 2024, the most recent comparable data I can find, the equivalent figure was only 57%.2
Put simply, if NHS Scotland had been led by a Conservative government, 8-9% of the 242 384 referred, around 20 000 patients, would have waited longer than they did in Scotland.
Why does the 18 week target matter so much?
Long waits for, EG, time-critical heart care put people at risk of life-long heart failure or even early death. Meeting the 18 week target also prevents the waitlist from increasing over time, causing a backlog.
Sources:
- https://publichealthscotland.scot/publications/nhs-waiting-times-18-weeks-referral-to-treatment/nhs-waiting-times-18-weeks-referral-to-treatment-quarter-ending-30-june-2024/
- https://www.nuffieldtrust.org.uk/resource/treatment-waiting-times#:~:text=How%20do%20treatment%20waiting%20times%20vary%20by%20specialty?&text=Waiting%20times%20for%20elective%20treatment,decreased%20(data%20not%20shown).
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Talking-up Scotland 
Well done the S.N.H.S, but of course as some of us are well aware, it will never make the B.B.C/M.S.M.
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