‘Our plan is delivering’ – Health Secretary welcomes new figures
New figures show the number of operations carried out in the 12 months to January 2026 increased by 6.1% compared to the same period the year before.
New statistics from Public Health Scotland show a total of 276,118 operations were performed during the last 12 months, while 756 operations were carried out per day; an increase from 713 for year ending January 2025.
This comes on the back of new waiting times statistics which show waits of over a year have decreased for 8 consecutive months – with new outpatient waits of more than 52 weeks more than halving since July 2025 and waits of over a year reducing by almost 30% for inpatient/day-case procedures in the same period.
Labour is desperate to talk down Scotland’s NHS, but here are the facts.
Latest stats out today show we are delivering more operations, meeting our CAMHS target, and long waits are falling. Thanks to our incredible NHS staff and the Scottish Government’s investment👇 pic.twitter.com/KWQTCZL74l
Health Secretary Neil Gray said: “These new figures show that our plan is delivering for Scotland – I am pleased to see sustained and continued improvement in the number of operations carried out, despite on-going pressures and the adverse weather seen over Winter which has impacted activity.
“I thank all NHS staff for their continued hard work – they are driving this progress and these figures are further evidence that our NHS is turning a corner.
“We are seeing waits of over a year come down month after month and we are delivering thousands more operations, procedures and appointments compared to last year – we are determined to build on this momentum.”
Investment will improve same-day access to urgent care
People will benefit from faster access to GP care as part of a £36 million investment announced in the Scottish Budget.
The funding will support the rollout of a new network of walk-in General Practice (GP) services, designed to make it easier for people to see GPs and other primary care clinicians quickly for urgent health concerns without needing an appointment.
Fifteen walk-in service centres will be established, with services focused on urgent, on-the-day primary care needs, similar to the care currently provided by GP out-of-hours services.
Services – which will be open 12pm-8pm, seven days per week – will allow people to attend without a prior appointment and will complement existing GP practices, NHS 24, community pharmacy, and hospitals.
Visiting the first future pilot site to be announced – Wester Hailes Healthy Living Centre – Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care Neil Gray said: “This £36 million investment will help more people get the right care, in the right place, at the right time. Walk-in services will make it easier to access urgent care on the day it’s needed, while easing pressure on GP practices and hospitals.
“Open seven days per week, between 12pm-8pm, our new walk-in centres will ensure people can get the care they need at a time that works for them – and will deliver over one million additional GP and nurse appointments.
“The funding for the walk-in services is just part of almost £22.5 billion allocated to health and social care, including a record £17.6 billion for NHS services and resources. Our continued investment in the NHS is allowing us to target areas which are experiencing long waits, reducing backlogs, and getting people the appointments and treatments they need as quickly as possible.
“I am determined to keep driving forward improvements so everyone can get the care they need, when they need it.”
Tracey McKigen, Director of Primary Care for NHS Lothian, said: “We are working closely with Wester Hailes Healthy Living Centre, the Edinburgh Health and Social Care partnership and the Scottish Government to shape proposals for piloting a new walk-in GP service.
“While plans are still being refined, we believe the new service will help improve access to primary care and complement existing local health services.”
The Scottish Government is to distribute £5 million of funding in 2025-26 to support independent hospices with pay parity for clinical staff with their NHS counterparts.
Hospices have now had their funding allocations confirmed and the investment, set out in the 2025-26 Budget, will ensure that frontline staff providing essential palliative and end-of-life care in independent hospices are fairly paid in line with NHS pay scales.
The funding aims to help hospices recruit and retain skilled healthcare professionals during a time of rising workforce pressures and increasing demand for palliative care services.
Health Secretary Neil Gray, said: “Independent hospices provide vital care and support to people and families across Scotland at the most difficult times in their lives. I am pleased we are able to support these organisations in supporting pay parity for their clinical staff.
“This funding recognises the skilled, compassionate care that hospice staff deliver every day, and helps ensure their pay reflects the immense value of their work.”
Chair of the Scottish Hospice Leadership Group Jacki Smart, said: “This is a welcome first step in recognising the needs of the hospice sector, which plays a key role in delivering specialist palliative care for Scotland.
“It is right for patients and staff that hospices can pay skilled professionals fairly and in line with NHS colleagues, and we need to keep pace on this.”
Independent hospices across Scotland are independent charitable organisations providing care tailored to local needs. Integration Joint Boards (IJBs) are responsible for the planning and commissioning of independent hospices to meet the needs of their local population.
Hospices work closely with a wide variety of health and social care services, including NHS Boards, to deliver high quality care and support.
The Scottish Government is committed to developing a new national framework to support more effective planning and commissioning between hospices and IJBs. This work will continue alongside discussions about long-term pay parity and funding arrangements.
Scotland’s largest vaccine producer, Valneva Scotland Ltd, recently welcomed Neil Gray MSP, Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care, for a tour of its state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in Livingston.
Valneva is a specialty vaccine company that develops, manufactures and commercialises prophylactic vaccines for infectious diseases with unmet medical needs. Most recently Valneva was awarded Best Biotech of 2025 at the 16th Annual Vaccine Industry Excellence Awards in Washington D.C.
During the visit, Neil met with some of Valneva Scotland’s leadership team and wider employees at its manufacturing centre of excellence in West Lothian. The tour covered various aspects of Valneva’s operational lifecycle from the Quality Control Sample Lab in the Manson building to the cleanroom manufacturing area in the new Almeida facility which boasts some of the highest specification lab space in the UK.
Scottish Government Health and Social Care Secretary Neil Gray said: “I was pleased to see the continued success of Valneva in Scotland and its valuable contribution to improving health and the economy.
“Vaccine development for infectious diseases can help keep people safe at home and abroad; I congratulate Valneva on their pioneering and ongoing research in this field.
“Life sciences is a key sector of our economy, recognised internationally for its distinctive businesses and research institutions. As well as protecting people from infectious diseases, Valneva’s research has potential to support high value jobs.”
Greig Rooney, Managing Director at Valneva Scotland Ltd added:“It was a pleasure to welcome Neil to our manufacturing facility and showcase the ingenuity of our talented workforce and the sustainable practices we deliver every day.
“The UK continues to be a global leader in life sciences investment, thanks to its thriving manufacturing sector, and we’re proud to play our part in that success.
“To realise the ambitions of the UK’s Life Sciences Vision, we must continue to build momentum and strengthen domestic biotech manufacturing capacity.
“At Valneva, we remain committed to working closely with the Office for Life Sciences, the UK Government and devolved administrations to improve public health outcomes and support the UK’s world-class research and development ecosystem.”
For more information about Valneva, please visit: www.valneva.com.
People across Scotland will have better access to NHS treatment through increased capacity, expanded primary care services, enhanced use of digital innovations and a range of other measures, First Minister John Swinney announced yesterday.
Speaking to representatives from across the health and social care sector, the First Minister set out action to drive down waiting times and reduce pressure on frontline services.
The First Minister was joined by Health Secretary Neil Gray and announced a range of actions including:
A substantial increase in capacity, with 150,000 additional appointments and procedures per year
Increased investment in primary care, making it easier for people to get appointments with their GP
Improved use of data and new digital innovations including the roll-out of a Scottish health and social care app – a ‘Digital Front Door’ to the NHS for patients
The First Minister said: “Protecting, strengthening, renewing our National Health Service – that is a goal I think we can all get behind. A real focus of common purpose.
“That requires action from me, as First Minister, from my Health Secretary Neil Gray, and from my Government. We can offer the leadership and direction – as the measures outlined today seek to do.
“So, today, we commit to a substantial increase in capacity in order to significantly reduce people’s waits.
“Our plan will ensure that a greater proportion of new NHS funding goes to primary and community care. GPs and services in the community will have the resources they need to play a greater role in our health system.
“This increased investment will result in GP services that are easier for people to access. That is important in terms of people’s confidence in the health service – but equally, it will make it more likely that health issues are picked up quickly and dealt with earlier.
“Our National Health Service is there when we need it. No other public institution supports us with so much care through life’s biggest moments. We must support it in return.
“The approach I set out today charts our course to do that. It addresses both the challenges and the opportunities. It sets the NHS on a path of modernisation and renewal.”
A GROUNDBREAKING project is revolutionising the way technology and data are integrated into independent living solutions, offering transformative benefits for individuals across Scotland.
Neil Gray MSP, Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care, has praised the Peoplehood Project, a transformative initiative by Blackwood Homes and Care in collaboration with The Data Lab, Scotland’s innovation centre for data and AI during a visit.
The visit took place at the Edinburgh Community Rehabilitation and Support Service, where Mr Gray experienced first-hand the innovative use of technology and data designed to support healthier, independent living for Scotland’s elderly and vulnerable populations.
Launched in 2022, the £12.5 million Peoplehood Project has engaged over 500 participants across Buckie, Dundee and Glasgow. The three-year project has co-designed new independent living models, incorporating cutting-edge assisted technologies and digital skills training aimed at improving quality of life while reducing dependence on social care services.
Neil Gray MSP commented: “The integration of technology into every-day lives is a key requirement in supporting individuals to live well at home for longer, and to support our health and social care services. We recognise that innovation must be at the heart of how we deliver these services across Scotland.
It is therefore important to recognise and to take the opportunity to learn from projects, such as Peoplehood, which are paving the way for a more sustainable and person-centred approach to social care.”
During the tour, Mr. Gray explored a Blackwood Home, equipped with state-of-the-art technology, and witnessed how the Edinburgh Community Rehabilitation and Support Service is using the technology to the benefit of users.
Steph Sutherland, Development and Commercial Director at Blackwood Homes and Care, said: “At Blackwood, our vision is to help people live their lives to the full.
“The Peoplehood Project has demonstrated the transformative potential of assistive technology in creating homes and communities that support independence.
“The learnings from the project will help shape our approach to independent living, ensuring that we can support as many people as possible to thrive in their homes and communities while leading healthier, more connected lives.”
Heather Thomson, Interim CEO of The Data Lab, added: “This collaboration demonstrates Scotland’s immense potential for innovation in health and social care. Through the power of data and AI, we are delivering ethical, impactful solutions that benefit communities across the country.”
The Peoplehood Project aligns with the UK Government’s Healthy Ageing Challenge Framework, addressing critical themes such as reducing social isolation, promoting independence, and fostering healthier lifestyles. The project’s insights are expected to influence Scotland’s social care sector on a national scale.
Blackwood Homes and Care, operating over 1,700 homes across 28 local authority areas, is renowned for its innovative approach to accessible housing, exemplified by the award-winning Blackwood House and CleverCogs technology.
Collaborating with The Data Lab – which is supported by the Scottish Government via the Scottish Funding Council National Innovation programme – the University of Edinburgh, CENSIS, Carebuilder and Mydex, the project harnesses data science to develop sustainable solutions for healthy ageing and independent living, contributing to Scotland’s leadership in data-driven social care innovation.
Services dealing with ‘extraordinary surge’ in flu cases
Health Secretary Neil Gray underlined the ‘resolve and resilience’ of the NHS as he praised the dedication of Scotland’s health and social care workforce in facing up to an ‘extraordinary surge’ in Influenza A cases.
The number of patients admitted to hospital as an emergency and testing positive for flu has surpassed the recent peak of the winter of 2022/23.
Following the latest in a series of meetings with First Minister John Swinney, health boards, the Scottish Ambulance Service, Public Health Scotland and NHS 24 earlier this week, Mr Gray praised the NHS response to the increased pressures on the system, in a statement to parliament.
He also thanked members of the public for continuing to follow guidance on the best way to access services, and for doing their bit to reduce the spread of infections in the community.
He stated that, as of 15 December, more than 1.2 million adult flu vaccinations have been administered. Those eligible to be vaccinated have until March to do so, with many health boards offering drop-in clinics.
Mr Gray said expert healthcare advice is available without the need for an appointment through the NHS Pharmacy First Scotland service, adding that £13.6 million of additional funding has been invested in General Practices to enable the recruitment and retention of staff.
Services such as Discharge to Assess and Hospital at Home are also key to helping health and social care partnerships to reduce delayed discharges, ensuring people who are clinically ready to leave hospital can do so.
Mr Gray said: “The resilience and determination shown by staff in the face of pressures across the health and care sector is inspiring.
“Every part of our health service has gone above and beyond to serve the country during the hardest months of the year.
“I’d like to thank the ambulance service staff for their sacrifice and devotion to their task, staying at work beyond the end of their shift as they wait to turnaround at hospitals.
“I’d also like to thank social care staff doing extra shifts to make up for staff being off sick with flu and GPs working at the weekends to offer appointments and bolster the resilience of the entire system.
“Hospital staff, like the porter I met at St John’s in Livingston on Christmas Eve, are working hard to turnaround beds as quickly as possible.
“This is the reality of public service – relentless, skilled, devoted and dedicated work to serve the people that need it most.
“Thanks to the incredible efforts of NHS staff and sure-handed planning, we are facing this with resilience and resolve.”
Seer 2 platform supporting collaboration across NHS boards
The expansion of a ‘world-leading’ data and analytics platform will help improve collaboration and innovation across Scotland’s health and social care system.
Seer is a platform that allows staff to access and analyse data easily, helping clinicians, teams and boards in decision-making around patient care and the planning of resources. Areas in which it is currently used include cancer intelligence, the monitoring of blood stocks and the flu vaccination programme.
Seer 2 is the next phase, which utilises cloud technology and will give the health and social care workforce access to a more advanced version, increasing opportunities to access new tools and technologies with greater flexibility. These features have already been used to create new dashboards to help manage capacity during winter.
Speaking at the Digital Health and Care Scotland Conference 2024, Health Secretary Neil Gray also confirmed the Scottish Government will provide an update on Scotland’s first Data Strategy this spring – with an updated Delivery Plan for the Digital Health and Care Strategy to be published in April.
Mr Gray said: “NHS Scotland is growing opportunities to use digital and technology-driven services to enhance health and social care.
“Better use of data and digital technology is critical to how we drive improvements in healthcare and is a key part of our plans to reform services. Through enhancing our use of technology, we can unlock opportunities for collaboration across health boards and other organisations, and it is therefore vital that this includes maximisation of digital and far better, and far faster, use of data.
“It’s great to see how world leading Seer 2 is enabling us to support collaboration and innovation across government and the NHS, providing near real time intelligence to support decision making, build new insights and enable better outcomes. This platform is just one of the ways we are embracing tech to help us as we face challenges ahead in funding pressures, inequalities and workforce.”
Mr Gray was also at Boroughloch Medical Practice, which has a long history of embracing technology, where Dr Abhayaratna demonstrated an online consultation and workflow system that helps GP practices manage patient caseloads through operational change and digital triage.
This makes it easier for people to talk to their own doctor or other healthcare professional and helps GP practices to prioritise and deliver care through message, phone and video.
Dr Abhayaratna said: “We’ve been making digital access available to patients since October 2019, with around 80% of patients making requests of the practice online. The system supports us in making the best use of our multi-disciplinary team’s skills, to ensure each patient gets the best care for their needs.
“This has resulted in a balanced workload for our staff and has enhanced the overall efficiency of the practice. Importantly, patient feedback tells a similarly positive story with 75% of patients reporting that our digital service is ‘better’ than previous arrangements.”
