Professor John Robertson OBA
From NHS waiting times – stage of treatment published yesterday, the above impressive signs of progress. with increasing numbers treated yet plummeting longer waits.
Important note – These latest statistics up to 31 October 2025 cover all patients waiting for a new outpatient appointment or treatment as an inpatient or day case, as well as those seen and removed from a waiting list covered by the national standards. Individual patients are counted more than once if they are waiting to attend more than one scheduled hospital appointment or admission, so the official statistics shown here do not reflect the actual [lower] number of individuals involved.
The above data are thus for ‘pathways’ as are those below for NHS England but those do not separate outpatient and inpatient. So the NHS Scoland figures are:
Ongoing waits – 702 986
Waits over 52 weeks – 78 587
UK and Scottish Labour just love comparisons as long as they favour their home country, England.
They won’t like it the first, big one.
As of the latest published data for September 2025 (released in November 2025), the total waiting list stands at approximately 7.39 million pathways compare to the NHS Scotland list, pro rata, 7.02 million, 5% shorter.
Source: https://www.england.nhs.uk/statistics/statistical-work-areas/rtt-waiting-times/rtt-data-2025-26/
For waits over 52 weeks, the NHS England figure is still better at 180 329, lower pro rata than in Scotland, but this was achieved by the Johnson government throwing cash (10% of it ours?) at the private sector to clear knee, hip and cataract ops and there are concerns that this target for those with non-life threatening conditions is less important than that for 18 weeks, relating to fatal conditions, and that for 12 hours in A&E, on which NHS Scotland does much better. See:
Which NHS waiting time target is more important in saving lives from cancers, strokes or heart attacks 18 or 52 weeks?
In summary, while both reduce overall risk, prioritizing the 18-week target prevents more immediate, widespread mortality by ensuring timely elective access for cancer progression and secondary prevention in strokes/heart disease. The NHS’s 2025/26 plan emphasizes 18-week recovery first, reflecting this. For acute episodes, ambulance/ED targets (e.g., 18-minute response) save more lives upfront, but elective RTT breaches compound risks. If waits continue, modeling suggests 10-20% higher mortality for these “big killers” by 2029.
Sources for above at – https://x.com/i/grok?conversation=1993426621781409869
Talking-up Scotland 'Albatraz' 
This is not directly related to waiting times.
As an ageing codger with various long term conditions, I have regular contact with NHS services. This week, for example, I had my 6 monthly review with the GP practice nurse, I have retinal screening on Friday and I collected my two monthly prescription.
In each case I was informed by text on several occasions that I had these appointments and that my free medication was available.
In the past three months I have had two blood tests at the local health Centre and my flu and Covid jags. I have a dental check up and an annual free eye test in the next six weeks.
All of these are routinely organised.
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Codger reminds, had you heard this?
Codger and Caddy TRIVIA STEW Falcons are carried on a portable square perch called a cadge. The birds were carried on the cadge since multiple birds were used for the hunt. Think of it like a bench where the birds waited to get in the game. The word “Codger” derived from the word “cadger”, the people that carried the cadge. Cadgers were usually older falconers who carried the birds on the cadge. Today it means an older person, usually someone that is eccentric or feisty, e.g. “His uncle is a feisty codger.” To take this term further, the word “caddy” may also have derived from this term. Since the cadger gave certain falcons to the falconer based on what was needed, a caddy gives golf clubs to the golfer in a similar manner.
https://www.bing.com/ck/a?!&&p=0e0c13fa8a26c9315497c6903af99c4fc9aeb7955f2d78b9434fc9e3a3c91d65JmltdHM9MTc2NDExNTIwMA&ptn=3&ver=2&hsh=4&fclid=040f0c0f-8f6f-69bb-36d4-18948ed46872&u=a1aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZmFsY29ucnloZXJpdGFnZS5vcmcvdXBsb2Fkcy9pdGVtVXBsb2Fkcy8zNjgwLzEwJTIwTW9kZXJuJTIwU2F5aW5ncyUyMFRoYXQlMjBDYW1lJTIwRnJvbSUyMHRoZSUyMFdvcmxkJTIwb2YlMjBGYWxjb25yeSUyMC0lMjBLbm93bGVkZ2UlMjBTdGV3LnBkZg&ntb=1
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Hi John,
It just occurred to me. Maybe I’m slow on the uptake, and you’ve tried this already?
I’m wondering whether creating mini press releases of these key data comparisons with the opposite spin would be picked up by msm in England? My thinking is that we could hope they’d be daft enough to publish it to whip the Uk government and at the same time cause increasing unrest amongst the population in England and Wales about how much better things are up here.
If it worked it would be increasingly futile for Labour (and the Tories) in Scotland – and the bloody BBC Scotland news posse – to tell us incessantly how shit our lives are here.
Just a thought. I worry that all this good stuff you do just adds to the echo chamber and loses effectiveness.
Best wishes
Derek Doyle
Sent from Outlook for iOShttps://aka.ms/o0ukef
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Hi Derek
Thanks
I agree
How would I do it to make them see it?
John
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To be honest, I’ve no idea.
I’ve just used ChatGPT and asked it to turn your text below into a press release suitable for mainstream media in the UK and it gave me what’s below. That’s the no-brain bit. How you would get it to their inboxes, though, I guess would be via email. And it might be best for the email account to be something that would put them off the scent of and not identifiable with TuS. I wish I were able to offer better suggestions than this.
There are two below from ChatGPT; the second one I asked to flip the perspective for an England audience.
PRESS RELEASE
For Immediate Release
26 November 2025
New NHS Scotland Data Shows Significant Progress as Waiting Lists Fall and Treatment Numbers Rise
The latest official statistics from Public Health Scotland show a marked improvement in NHS Scotland waiting times, with the overall waiting list now 5% shorter on a population-adjusted basis than NHS England’s.
Published on 25 November 2025, the NHS Waiting Times – Stage of Treatment report covers all patients waiting for a new outpatient appointment, inpatient procedure or day-case treatment up to 31 October 2025. The data also includes patients who have been seen and removed from waiting lists in line with national standards.
Key figures for Scotland include:
702,986 ongoing waits
78,587 waits over 52 weeks
These statistics are counted by treatment pathways rather than individual patients; people waiting for multiple appointments are therefore counted more than once, as is standard in UK-wide reporting.
Comparison with NHS England
The most recent NHS England statistics (September 2025, published November 2025) record:
7.39 million treatment pathways on the waiting list
When adjusted for population, NHS Scotland’s total of 702,986 pathways is the equivalent of 7.02 million for the size of England’s population — approximately 5% lower.
NHS England currently performs better in the proportion of waits exceeding 52 weeks, at 180,329 cases. Analysts note, however, that this reduction followed substantial funding directed towards the private sector to accelerate treatments such as hip, knee and cataract operations.
Importance of 18-Week Targets for Major Conditions
Clinical guidance across the UK highlights the particular importance of the 18-week referral-to-treatment standard, which is closely linked to outcomes for major time-sensitive conditions, including cancer, stroke and heart disease.
Health service modelling indicates that prioritising recovery of the 18-week standard is likely to prevent more avoidable deaths than focusing on long waits beyond 52 weeks, given the earlier stage at which these conditions can progress without timely intervention.
NHS Scotland continues to compare well on several urgent care measures. Performance on 12-hour A&E waits remains significantly stronger than in England and Wales, and recent data also shows an increasing number of patients in Scotland being treated within the 18-week standard.
Notes to Editors
Public Health Scotland data: NHS Waiting Times – Stage of Treatment (25 November 2025)
NHS England data: Referral to Treatment (RTT) Waiting Times, September 2025
All waiting list statistics quoted are on a pathways basis, as is standard in NHS reporting across the UK.
For further information, please contact:
[Insert contact details]
This then came up when I asked it to flip the perspective to look at England data using Scotland as a comparator.
PRESS RELEASE
For Immediate Release
26 November 2025
NHS England Waiting List Reaches 7.39 Million Pathways – New Data Shows How Scotland’s System Compares
Newly released figures from NHS England show that the national waiting list stood at 7.39 million treatment pathways in September 2025 (published November 2025), continuing to place sustained pressure on hospitals and specialist services across the country.
These referral-to-treatment (RTT) statistics count treatment pathways rather than individual patients, meaning people awaiting more than one appointment or procedure appear multiple times — a standard method used across all UK nations.
England’s Long-Waiters Improve but Pressures Remain
NHS England continues to make progress in reducing the longest waits:
180,329 pathways waiting over 52 weeks
This improvement follows targeted funding to expand activity, including through independent-sector capacity for procedures such as hip, knee and cataract operations.
However, overall demand for care remains high as the NHS seeks to recover from the combined impact of the pandemic, workforce shortages and increased emergency pressures.
How Scotland Compares — Key Differences Explained for English Audiences
While UK national discussions often focus on English performance, Scotland publishes its own parallel waiting-time data, which can differ in scale and in service pressures.
The latest Public Health Scotland report (covering activity to 31 October 2025) shows:
702,986 ongoing waits
78,587 waits over 52 weeks
Because Scotland’s population is much smaller, direct numbers cannot be compared.
However, when Scotland’s 702,986 pathways are converted on a population-equivalent basis, the figure equates to around 7.02 million for the size of England — making Scotland’s list approximately 5% smaller than England’s.
Shorter Overall List, Longer Long-Waiters
Total Waiting List Size: Scotland performs better on overall volume (5% smaller when population-adjusted).
Long Waits Over 52 Weeks: England performs better, with proportionally fewer long waits than Scotland.
The reason for this difference varies between the two systems. England’s reduction in 52-week waits has been accelerated by substantial investment in the independent sector for a range of non-urgent operations. Scotland, meanwhile, has reduced its overall waiting list by increasing in-house treatment volumes, but still faces challenges on the longest waits.
Why the 18-Week Standard Still Matters Most Clinically
Across the UK, clinicians emphasise that hitting the 18-week referral-to-treatment standard has the greatest impact on outcomes for common life-threatening conditions, including:
cancers
strokes
heart disease
Early intervention within the 18-week window prevents disease progression and reduces mortality risk. NHS modelling suggests that prolonged breaches of the 18-week standard could contribute to 10–20% higher mortality for these major conditions by 2029.
On emergency care, Scotland currently reports stronger performance on 12-hour A&E waits, which remain significantly lower than in England and Wales.
Notes to Editors
England data: NHS England, Referral to Treatment Waiting Times, September 2025
Scotland data: Public Health Scotland, NHS Waiting Times – Stage of Treatment (25 November 2025)
All figures are based on treatment pathways, the standard UK-wide measure.
For media enquiries, please contact:
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Facts on the internet.
The Tories underfunded the NHS for years. Supported illegal wars causing mass migration. Austerity poverty and hardship. Increased crime. Cut support services. Tax evaded. Financial fraud.Wasted £Billions on HS2, Hickley Point and Brexit. Labour supported them.
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The SNP Gov had to mitigate Tory cuts. (NHS etc). While the Scottish budget was undercut and underfunded by the Tory/unionist Gov.
Scottish resources were wasted paying back Westminster debt (decisions). The Tories spent £270Billion funding Covid over two years. How much did Scotland get? Less but Scotland has to pay back the proportion of the Westminster debt. Having not caused it or been responsible for it. Ie The Barnett Formula.
Brexit losing £Billion. Ruining the Scottish economy. Scotland did not vote for it. A Westminster decision. Scottish revenues and resources wasted. £Billions lost. A poor, bad Westminster decision.
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Scotland could have much better public services, without Westminster poor, bad decisions ie Brexit etc. A total waste of Scotland resources and revenues.
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