Cole-Hamilton reveals patients facing three year waits for cataract surgery

Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Alex Cole-Hamilton has today revealed patients are waiting more than three years for cataract surgery as he called on the Scottish Government to clear long waiting lists for complex specialties.

Freedom of information requests submitted by Scottish Liberal Democrats to Scotland’s 14 health boards have revealed:

• The longest a patient has been waiting for cataract surgery is 1,253 days in NHS Grampian.

• The longest waits in other health boards include 869 days in NHS Shetland, 824 days in NHS Greater Glasgow & Clyde, 680 days in NHS Ayrshire & Arran, 644 days in NHS Borders, 548 days in NHS Fife, 532 days in NHS Lanarkshire and 508 days in NHS Highland.

• In Shetland the current expected waiting time for cataract surgery is 323 days.

• In Ayrshire & Arran, the average wait is 272 days but 1 in 10 patients are expected to wait 432 days.

Commenting on the figures, Alex Cole-Hamilton said:

“I can only imagine the panic and distress that these waits are causing for patients. I know that NHS staff are working hard to get waiting lists down but they are not getting the support they need from bosses and ministers.

“With waits stretching into the months and years, it’s clear that the SNP have no plan for tackling long waits for complex specialties. Ministers need to ensure that cataract surgery waits come down and people can get the care they need swiftly and close to home.

“I know from working closely with campaigners pressing for a replacement for the Edinburgh Eye Pavilion that staff can work more efficiently and effectively if they have the right facilities available. That’s why it was so important to me to secure progress towards a new Eye Pavilion in our recent budget negotiations.

“The SNP have repeatedly demonstrated that the NHS will never be their priority. My party has a track record of exposing scandalous long waits and delivering investment. That’s why no matter where you live, anyone who is sick of long waits for healthcare should back the Scottish Liberal Democrats on their peach regional ballot at next year’s election.”