Boyack slams Scottish Government over ‘disgraceful’ treatment of Lothians heart patients

Labour Lothians MSP, Sarah Boyack today slammed the Scottish Government for failing patients suffering with heart and circulatory disease.

Stats given to Ms Boyack by British Heart Foundation Scotland revealed there has been a 71% increase in people in the Lothians, waiting for an echocardiogram since 2021.

This is compared to an increase in 16% for Scotland as a whole.

Seven individuals have been revealed to be waiting over a year for the scan.

The concerning figures also stretch to outpatient cardiology appointments, where it was revealed in September 2023, that 55% of people were wating longer than the 12-week Scottish Government target.

These statistics come as it was revealed by NHS Lothian Board papers that NHS Lothian must make savings of 7%.

The papers also highlighted that the Scottish Budget also provided “no additional resource to cover inflationary costs and other new and emerging cost pressures”

Commenting on these statistics, SARAH BOYACK said: “These figures highlight the Scottish Government’s disgraceful failures in regard to heart and circulatory disease patients.

“It is even more troubling that while the situation is getting worse, the Scottish Government will not provide any additional resource to NHS Lothian.

“This is particularly worrying given Lothian’s population growth.

“If the Scottish Government does not act urgently, then this situation will continue to spiral into an emergency.

“People suffering heart and circulatory diseases deserve the top notch care our NHS is supposed to deliver.

“Instead, they are forced to endure unacceptable delays due to the Scottish Government’s lack of investment.

“If the Scottish Government doesn’t deliver additional funding soon, they will be letting down heart condition patients across the Lothians.”

“Disgrace”: Eight in ten Edinburgh housebreakings go unsolved

Scottish Labour MSP Sarah Boyack has warned that SNP mismanagement has left policing in Edinburgh at breaking point as new figures reveal the majority of housebreakings go unsolved.

Latest recorded crime statistics show that in 2022-23 there were 1449 housebreakings recorded in the City of Edinburgh. In the same year a shocking 80 per cent of housebreakings were not cleared up.

A crime or offence is regarded as “cleared up” where there exists a sufficiency of evidence under Scots law to justify consideration of criminal proceedings – meaning the majority of housebreakings in Edinburgh have gone unsolved.

Labour MSP Sarah Boyack has said these figures expose the pressure policing in the City of Edinburgh is under, and warned the SNP-Green government against cuts in the area.


Scottish Labour MSP Sarah Boyack said: “The revelation that 8 out of 10 housebreakings in Edinburgh remain unsolved is nothing short of a disgrace.

“These shocking figures reveal the pressure police in Edinburgh are under, with years of SNP mismanagement pushing services to breaking point.

“Housebreaking can cause its victims both financial loss and serious distress, and it will add insult to injury that so many perpetrators get off scot-free.

“It is high time for our government to prioritise public safety, allocate adequate funding, and ensure that police have the resources they need to tackle crime and keep our city safe.

“The residents of Edinburgh deserve better.”

Recorded crime 2022-23 – housebreakings:

Housebreakings2022-23% Not Cleared Number /10 not cleared 
Scotland879674.57
Aberdeen City34759.46
Aberdeenshire168758
Angus16061.96
Argyll & Bute6873.57
Clackmannanshire6785.19
Dumfries & Galloway194667
Dundee City43468.77
East Ayrshire17071.27
East Dunbartonshire11369.97
East Lothian22866.77
East Renfrewshire12980.68
Edinburgh, City of144980.38
Falkirk23180.58
Fife63866.97
Glasgow City122379.78
Highland25967.27
Inverclyde14569.77
Midlothian20182.18
Moray12265.67
Na h-Eileanan Siar4253
North Ayrshire18770.17
North Lanarkshire56176.88
Orkney Islands5404
Perth & Kinross217707
Renfrewshire19178.58
Scottish Borders16683.18
Shetland Islands8758
South Ayrshire17065.97
South Lanarkshire38876.88
Stirling12477.48
West Dunbartonshire14679.58
West Lothian28379.58

SourSource:ce https://www.gov.scot/publications/recorded-crime-scotland-2022-23/