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From Pubic Health Scotland yesterday:

At 31 January 2026, there were an estimated 586,859 individuals on at least one new outpatient, inpatient or day case waiting list. This is equivalent to around 1 in 9 of Scotland’s population (mid-2024 population estimates Scotland). ¹

From NHS England Referral to Treatment (RTT) waiting times statistics—as of the end of December 2025 (published 12 February 2026)

The most recent publicly available data from NHS England on Referral to Treatment (RTT) waiting times—for consultant-led elective (non-urgent) hospital treatment—shows the situation as of the end of December 2025 (published in February 2026). The total number of waiting list cases (pathways) stood at 7.29 million. This corresponds to approximately 6.17 million individual patients (unique individuals), as some people are on more than one waiting list pathway for different treatments or conditions.²

So, once more, all things being equal, per head, the figure for England should be around 5.9m but was in fact 6.17m, 4.6% longer.

A small percentage as BBC Scotland would suggest, but a quarter of a million people in England and 25 000 in Scotland.

If it was the other way round, the Scottish Government would get the blame, so as it’s not, they get the credit.

Sources:

1. https://www.publichealthscotland.scot/publications/nhs-waiting-times-stage-of-treatment/stage-of-treatment-waiting-times-inpatients-day-cases-and-new-outpatients-24-february-2026
2. https://www.england.nhs.uk/statistics/statistical-work-areas/rtt-waiting-times/rtt-data-2025-26

Please Support Talking-up Scotland at:

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Click on the above.

Or direct bank transfer at Sort Code 08-91-04  Account - 12266421 Name - JOHN ROBERTSON