In the last three weeks I know of someone who is 83rd in the list of seeing a doctor in accident and emergency. There were 83 patients before them and they had to wait ten hours to be seen. I know someone who has waited over two and a half years to get an audiology test. Driven towards paying £1800 to buy from a high street store. Within four days, they had their hearing aids. We also know of someone who has been on a waiting list, we keep talking about bringing them down, the Scottish nationalist party (sic) they have carried the weight of extending the waiting list to where we are today.
BBC Scotland’s Debate Night tonight with the leaders had the above as an example of the level of debate – a two-tier system based on evidence from three wee anecdotes.
See the ‘Scottish nationalist party’ giveaway? This is not an ordinary member of the public.
This is the level it’s at.
The Tory leader told him he was spot on.
Luckily, far less than 1 in a 100 voters watch this drivel.
Here are the facts:
Headlining on BBC Breakfast 16 March 2026, this claim from Health Watch UK:
NHS Scotland is not part of the study:
In 2023, 9% of those we polled had accessed private healthcare in the last year. By 2025, this figure nearly doubled to 16%. The use of private dental care increased from 22% to 32% over the same period.
The poll of 2,593 people in England, aged 18 and above, was run by Savanta between 31 October and 7 November 2025. We asked about the public’s use of NHS and private health care, and their confidence in accessing timely NHS care. https://www.healthwatch.co.uk/news/2026-03-16/two-tier-healthcare-increases-confidence-timely-access-remains-low
While Scottish Labour and their media chums would love to find similar trends in Scotland, they’re not there.
The above from September 2023, shows private healthcare providers (red) and MPs taking money from them to push their interests (blue £), notably then only one in Scotland – Ian Murray, Edinburgh South (Labour).
BBC Scotland this morning put the third-largest party first, to tell us that Scottish Labour are campaigning on the NHS and accusing the Scottish Government of creating a ‘two-tier’ system.
You really want to see a two-tier system, first check out the distribution of private healthcare across the UK and of MPs being paid by them in the above map.
Second, while the map shows the spread of the two-tier system across England, here are the numbers:
In 2024/2025, the Private Healthcare Information Network (PHIN) estimated 50 000 private treatments in Scotland. https://www.phin.org.uk/press-releases/a-record-50000-private-hospital-admission-in-scotland-in-2024
So, with ten times the population, if Scotland had a two tier system, we’d have as many as England, per head of population – 500 000.
BUT, England had more than 6 MILLION, 12 times as many per head, 120 times as many overall.
Finally, that 50 000 private treatments what percentage is that of the 1.2 million carried by the NHS in Scotland?
4.1%
Not much of a tier?
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The unionists – Westminster have underfunded the NHS for years. No increase. Until Covid. Westminster spend £270Billion over two years on Covid. Scotland did not get £27Billion funding Covid.
The Scottish Gov has to mitigate the Westminster healthcare underfunded. Scottish revenues and resources are misused by Westminster. Trident, illegal wars, redundant weaponry, contracts not delivered then more ordered. Wasting £Billion on HS2, Hickley Point etc. Westminster not endorsing renewables in Scotland. Refused £1.5Billion investment in renewables. Brexit costing £Billion. Scotland in surplus in fuel and energy, nearer the source, yet pays more.
Urgent cases are always first. People waiting have manageable conditions. No one wants a big operation unless really necessary. If people did not go private, other people would not have to wait longer. Private using NHS trained Staff and equipment. Long term conditions cannot be private it is unaffordable. Healthcare is very important. Scotland spends £13Billion on healthcare + social care, 1/3 off the underfunded Block Grant.
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