More than 800,000 still stuck on an NHS waiting list

Scottish Liberal Democrat leader and health spokesperson Alex Cole-Hamilton MSP has today said the SNP are disastrous for your health after figures showed that 834,073 are on NHS waiting lists.

New figures from Public Health Scotland show that as at 30th November 2025:

• 532,279 were on an outpatient waiting list.
• 155,789 were on an inpatient waiting list.

When these figures are combined with the latest figures for the total waiting list size for eight key diagnostic tests (146,005), the number of Scots on a waiting list is 834,073.

Alex Cole-Hamilton said:

"These figures show the SNP's failure to fix our NHS. Month after month, patients are languishing on a waiting list, in pain and with no clear idea of when they will be treated.

“This can mean many are unable to work, which is impacting our economy. We’re lagging miles behind England in terms of waiting times and the promised national treatment centres have yet to fully materialise.

“After almost two decades in charge, the SNP have proved to be disastrous for your health.

“Scotland deserves change with fairness at its heart, which is what the Scottish Liberal Democrats are offering. At May’s election, everyone can vote for that by backing my party on their second, peach-coloured regional ballot paper.”