A suite of new targets to tackle long waiting lists for planned NHS treatment has been announced by the Health Secretary today, which will see health boards working together to reduce backlogs of care.

New plans to eradicate waits of more than one year for inpatient and day case appointments in most specialities by September 2024 could see more patients travelling outwith their local health board to receive treatment.

A comtitment to eradicate waiting times of more than two years for most outpatient specialities and in day cases by the end of August and September this year, respectively, was also announced.

As of March 2022, 2,831 people have been waiting more than 104 weeks for their first outpatient appointment, according to Public Health Scotland.

Mr Yousaf has said the new targets “are some of the most ambitious in the UK” and that action to tackle waiting lists is now appropriate with NHS activity beginning to recover from the pandemic:

“We know that waiting times have grown as a result of the pandemic, which is why we now need to focus on treating these people that are waiting too long for treatment. That’s why I am announcing some of the most ambitious targets in the UK.

“From speaking to patients and clinicians across the country, I know there is a physical and mental consequence in having to wait a long period to be treated, that is why addressing long waits is a key focus of our plans for NHS recovery.”

Audit Scotland has called for NHS boards to publish data on performance against the clinical prioritisation categories, ‘to enable transparency about how NHS boards are managing their waiting lists’.

These will be released for the first time in September, according to documents released to healthandcare.scot under a Freedom of Information request.

Read more: Board director: Waiting times targets now pointless; Treatment delays for neurological conditions;

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