Cole-Hamilton: Over 400,000 operations lost since Covid shows need for new NHS Recovery Plan

Scottish Liberal Democrat leader and health spokesperson Alex Cole-Hamilton MSP has today called on the Health Secretary to devise a new NHS Recovery Plan because “continuity won’t cut it,” after new Liberal Democrat analysis revealed that 401,992 operations have been lost since the pandemic first began.

Scottish Liberal Democrat analysis of Public Health Scotland figures has compared average pre-Covid levels of NHS activity with the number of operations scheduled over the past two years.

The analysis also showed there was a 29% decrease between the number of operations scheduled in March and the average pre-pandemic levels.

Mr Cole-Hamilton commented:  

“These figures are absolutely staggering. Backlogs escalating to near uncontrollable levels have failed to prompt any urgent action from the Health Secretary. It is alarming to think what must happen for him to act.

“Humza Yousaf left our NHS on its knees, so continuity won’t cut it- it’s insulting to pretend it will. Patients and NHS staff deserve better than half-hearted Government commitments to tackle the crisis.

“If there is any chance for the tide to be turned, this new government must scrap the current Recovery Plan and urgently devise a new one which will prioritise the recruitment and retention of staff through a burnout prevention strategy and a staff and social care assembly."