NHS Scotland 2024: Finance and performance (3 December 2024)

Summary

The Scottish Government needs a delivery plan that clearly explains to the public how it will reform the NHS and address the pressures on services.

Despite increasing funding and staffing, the NHS in Scotland is still seeing fewer patients than before the Covid-19 pandemic.

Auditors found that:

• commitments to reducing waiting lists and times have not been met
• the number of people remaining in hospital because their discharge has been delayed is the highest on record
• and NHS initiatives to improve productivity and patient outcomes have yet to have an impact and lack clear progress reporting.