Operations activity lower than pre-pandemic levels

Responding to Public Health Scotland figures published today which show that the number of planned operations were lower than pre-pandemic levels, with 9.3% fewer operations planned in June 2023 than were planned in June 2019, Scottish Liberal Democrat leader and health spokesperson Alex Cole-Hamilton MSP said:

“Once again, it's abundantly clear that Humza Yousaf’s NHS Recovery Plan has been disastrous, yet there has been no indication the government will change course.

“If we want to avoid another crisis this winter, the Health Secretary must scrap this failure of a plan and start anew. It is what patients and staff deserve.  

“A new plan must prioritise the recruitment and retention of staff through a burnout prevention strategy and a staff and social care assembly."