Cole-Hamilton: Voting Lib Dem is good for your health

Following new statistics showing a record high level of delayed discharge, hundreds of people waiting more than a year for mental health support and thousands of nursing and midwifery vacancies, Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Alex Cole-Hamilton MSP urged people to back his party in May for change with fairness at its heart and policies that are good for your health.

New figures from Public Health Scotland reveal:

• 2,049 people stuck in hospital at the January census due to their discharge being delayed- the highest monthly level on record.
• 156 children and 468 adults waiting over a year for mental health treatment, with more than 28,000 still on mental health waiting lists and the eighteen-week target being missed for adults.
• 2,962 nursing and midwifery vacancies as at the quarter ending 31st December 2025.

On delayed discharge, Alex Cole-Hamilton said:

“The SNP have obliterated their decade-old promise to end delayed discharge.

“Their repeated failure to provide enough care at home or in the community is leaving record high numbers of people stuck in hospital.

“Those delays mean there are fewer beds available to receive new patients in A&Es, ramping up waiting times and causing endless misery.

“Only the Scottish Liberal Democrats will invest in care to ensure there are more care workers and care packages to get people home in time and free up vital space in A&E.”

On mental health waiting times, Alex Cole-Hamilton said:

“If you are waiting for mental health treatment, the very last thing you need is to be stuck waiting for over a year.

“That’s just going to make you feel even more isolated and vulnerable.

“From cutting waiting times and getting more professionals close to where you live, Scottish Liberal Democrats have a realistic plan to deliver world-class mental health services for this country.

“By backing us on your second, peach-coloured ballot paper in May, you can vote for a party that’s good for your health and will deliver change with fairness at its heart.”

On nursing and midwife vacancies, he said:

“This gap stretches all the way back to Nicola Sturgeon cutting nursing and midwifery training places and claiming that was ‘sensible’.

“We now have dangerous staff shortages, with recent reporting about maternity units illustrating the extremely harmful impact on patient care.

“Scottish Liberal Democrats have a realistic plan to deliver first-rate healthcare for everyone. That starts by tackling burnout and prioritising the recruitment and retention of hardworking staff.”