One million NHS Scotland waiting list backlog projections branded ‘terrifying’

Nearly one million people are set to be on a NHS waiting list in Scotland by next year, analysis has revealed, in projections that have been described as “terrifying”.

The analysis produced by Edinburgh University shows NHS Scotland must treat at least 20 per cent more non-emergency hospital cases over the next three years to eliminate the backlog caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. And the research revealed the number of referrals waiting to be treated in Scotland topped 667,000 at the end of December 2023, covering an estimated 10 per cent of the population.

Researchers warned that, without any increase in capacity, the waiting list will increase to nearly one million people by December 2026.

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Source: The Scotsman, 10 January 2024