- 11.6% reduction in new outpatient waits in the last year
Health Secretary has stated there has been
undeniable progress' to reduce NHS waiting lists and increase
diagnostic testing over the last year, as she outlined targeted
measures to go further.
Latest Public Health Scotland data shows the new outpatient
waiting list is down by 11.6% from July 2025, with a number of
key milestones reached during that period, including:
- waits of over 52 weeks for new outpatients are down by almost
77% since July 2025
- inpatient and day case waits of over 52 weeks have reduced
for the 18th consecutive month and the waiting list is
49% lower than it was in July 2025
- inpatient and day case activity up by 8.4% on the previous
12-month period
- the number of ongoing waits for one of the eight key
diagnostic tests is at its' lowest since 31 March 2021.
The Scottish Government announced £90 million of targeted funding
towards tackling those waiting the longest for appointments and
treatment, while £17.1 million of funding will support mobile MRI
and CT scanners to reduce diagnostic waits.
Health Secretary said:
These latest statistics demonstrate clear progress in reducing
the longest waits in our NHS. I am grateful to our hard-working
NHS staff whose efforts mean more people are getting the scans,
tests and treatment they need.
However, we still have a way to go, and 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.
To drive progress and go further, we have announced £90 million
of additional funding dedicated to those waiting the longest for
treatment. We are also continuing to fund 13 mobile MRI and 4
mobile CT scanners across NHS Scotland to help people get
diagnostic tests they need, with some boards providing these
services seven days a week, 12 hours a day.
I will be closely monitoring the progress in Boards with the
longest waiting times, and will be taking a number of targeted
measures to reform how care is delivered across Scotland.
For example, we will soon be publishing a new national plan for
the flow of patients through hospitals. We will increase the
number of planned GP walk-in centres and we will deliver at least
50,000 operations and procedures within the first 100 days of
Government.
The First Minister has also announced £3 million of funding for
the first three healthy heart and lung checks, delivered by Chest
Heart and Stroke Scotland in Glasgow, Grampian and Tayside.
Prevention is better than cure and catching issues early can save
lives.
Background
Stages of Treatment waiting
times - 25 August 2026
Diagnostic waiting times - 25
August 2026
First Minister launches heart
and lung MOTs
Extra Funding to reduce long
waits for treatment
