Health Secretary will tomorrow (Monday 31 March)
unveil the Scottish Government's NHS Operational Improvement Plan
which will include key measures to improve access to NHS
treatment.
The plan will outline how the Scottish Government and health
boards intend to build on recent improvements in performance
through an increased number of appointments, expanded primary
care services and enhanced use of digital innovation.
Health Secretary said:
“We are determined to modernise and renew NHS services to ensure
we are delivering the best possible care for people, in the most
efficient and timely manner. We know some people are waiting too
long for treatment and the ambitious, but realistic, plan I will
publish tomorrow will outline how we intend to tackle this head
on.
“We have seen improvements in recent weeks, with better A&E
performance, CAMHS targets met and improvements in diagnostics
waits which are now at their lowest since October 2021. We have
exceeded our pledge to carry out 64,000 procedures through £30
million additional funding by the end of March 2025 – with boards
reporting delivery of 75,500 procedures by end of January 2025.
“We are determined to build on the incredible work our NHS staff
are already undertaking day in and day out to bring real change.
The measures in our operational improvement plan will help us
deliver a more accessible NHS, with reductions to the pressures
we currently see. We will further reduce waiting times and
improve patient flow through the additional £200 million
investment contained in the Budget. We want to expand capacity,
speed up treatment and make it easier to get an appointment in
primary care. We will embrace innovation and make better use of
digital technology to drive improvements and efficiencies.”
