Constance says Scottish Government ‘must do more’ to tackle NHS waits

Scotland’s Health Secretary has said more must be done to tackle NHS waiting times, with Angela Constance pledging to “use every inch of capacity” in the health service to ensure patients get the treatment they need.

She spoke out in response to new figures which showed that, at the end of August, more than half a million people were waiting for an out-patient appointment – with over 157,000 waiting for treatment.

Meanwhile, separate figures from Public Health Scotland showed a key waiting times target for treating cancer patients continues to be missed.

National standards state that 95% of those people referred with an urgent suspicion of cancer should begin treatment within 62 days – but this only happened for 73.6% of patients in the period April to June.

All of Scotland’s NHS boards failed to meet this target, Public Health Scotland found.

Further data from the body, which publishes NHS waiting times figures, showed that as of August 31 there were 506,512 people waiting for an out-patient appointment.

While the total number of people on the list for an appointment had increased for the fifth month in a row, Public Health Scotland also noted that the list size was 11.1% lower than it had been 12 months before.

Of those people, 14,116 had been waiting more than 52 weeks – despite national standards setting out 95% of people should have an out-patient appointment inside 12 weeks.

There were also 1,215 people who had been on the list for two years or more.

Meanwhile, there were 157,485 patients waiting for either in-patient surgery or day case treatment as of August 31 – with this total down by 0.8% from July and also 0.4% lower than in August 2025.

Those having the longest waits for their treatment were also down, with 16,014 having waited a year or more, down by 636 from July. And although there were 1,846 patients who had been waiting for two years or more at the end of August, this total was down by 256 on the previous month.

Ms Constance stressed the figures show that Scotland’s “exceptional NHS workforce is treating more people across Scotland and making clear progress in reducing the longest waits”.

The Health Secretary added: “In the 12 months to August 2026, outpatient waits over a year have reduced by 77% and inpatient and day case waits have reduced by 49.2%.

“In cancer services, the NHS is treating more patients in Scotland compared to pre-pandemic and 10 years ago – with the median wait from decision to treat to first cancer treatment just two days.

“However, I am clear we can and must do more to tackle waits and use every inch of capacity in our NHS to ensure patients get the care they need, when they need it.”

She added an additional £90 million is being invested this year “to drive real progress in reducing the longest waits in our NHS”, with Ms Constance saying ministers were also “determined to provide more treatments and procedures closer to home”.

The Health Secretary continued: “I am also determined to drive further improvements through our reforms of the NHS – which will remove duplication, variability, organisational boundaries and bureaucracy to ensure people across Scotland regardless of where they live receive the best treatment and care.”

But Labour health spokesperson Dame Jackie Baillie insisted it is “utterly appalling” that the cancer waiting times target is not being met.

Dame Jackie said: “Swift cancer treatment can be lifesaving, but far too many people are missing out on the urgent care they need.

“For years, we have heard the same promises from SNP ministers, targets are still not being met, despite the tireless efforts of hardworking NHS staff.

“Cancer is Scotland’s biggest killer, and we urgently need a long-term plan from the Health Secretary to get services back on track.”

Other opposition politicians echoed her concerns, with Scottish Conservative health spokesperson Miles Briggs saying: “Over a quarter of cancer patients are failing to start treatment within the SNP’s own target time, which could be devastating for their chances of survival.

“Scotland is facing a ticking timebomb when it comes to cancer cases, but the nationalists haven’t met their own cancer waiting time target for well over a decade now.”

Liberal Democrat health spokesperson Adam Harley meanwhile stated: “Cancer patients deserve so much better than a Scottish Government that has failed to meet this crucial waiting time standard for almost 15 years.

“These figures show that patients are still being left waiting far too long for answers and treatment. That simply isn’t good enough.”

Scottish ministers were also challenged to take “urgent action” to cut NHS waiting lists, with Dame Jackie insisting: “It is unacceptable that thousands of patients are languishing on NHS waiting lists for treatment, too many of whom are still waiting years.

“We need urgent action to cut waiting lists, not more soundbites from SNP ministers who fail to take the steps required to tackle this problem.”

Mr Briggs said that “the backlog in Scotland’s NHS remains at staggering levels due to the SNP’s incompetence”.

He stated: “Tens of thousands of patients have still been waiting over a year for treatment, six months on from when John Swinney promised waits that long would have been eliminated.”