Scottish Conservative and Unionist MSP Jeremy Balfour for Lothian says Humza Yousaf’s flimsy NHS Recovery Plan simply isn’t cutting it.
Jeremy Balfour’s call comes after new stats showed that the number of operations across Scotland was still 33% lower than in February 2020, before the pandemic.
In April 2022, there were also 1,700 operations cancelled on the day, or the day, before operations were scheduled.
In the Lothians, there has been a 27% decrease since just before the pandemic.
The number of operations taking place also fell by 14% between March and April 2022.
Jeremy Balfour MSP says this is symptomatic of the crisis facing the Lothians right now, with little sign Humza Yousaf has a plan to fix it.
Jeremy Balfour added far too many patients in the Lothians are suffering due to operations being delayed.
Scottish Conservative and Unionist MSP Jeremy Balfour said: “Patients in the Lothians are suffering in pain as vital operations and procedures continue to be cancelled or delayed.
“There appears to be no end in sight, despite the improving picture surrounding Covid in recent months.
“Humza Yousaf’s flimsy NHS Recovery Plan simply isn’t cutting it. It is simply unacceptable that the number of operations has fallen over the last month, and we are still nowhere near the level of operations that were taking place prior to the pandemic.
“This situation cannot continue for patients, many of whom in the Lothians have been waiting for well over a year.
“These patients deserve and urgently need to see a proper plan from the SNP Health Secretary to deliver an increase in the number of operations.”
Notes: The figures can be found here: https://publichealthscotland.scot/publications/cancelled-planned-operations/cancelled-planned-operations-month-ending-30-april-2022/
Lothian
Fall over last month (3464-2982)- Decrease of 14%
Fall since February 2020 (4078-2982)- Decrease of 27%
