Investing in additional capacity across health service
Extra investment to tackle NHS waits is expected to deliver more than 300,000 appointments and procedures this year.
Additional funding of £106 million was set out in the 2025-26 Budget, and an extra £4 million for dermatology activity has been announced today.
The additional planned appointments and procedures delivered through this £110 million are expected to break down as follows.
195,000 imaging scans
31,000 inpatient or day-case procedures
88,000 new outpatient appointments
4,100 new dermatology outpatient appointments
This means 213,000 more appointments are expected to be delivered this year than in 2024/25 – exceeding the Programme for Government commitment of delivering 150,000 appointments by more than 60,000.
A proportion of the funding will also support cancer activity and provide critical supporting services including pathology, diagnostic reporting and pre-assessment.
Health Secretary Neil Gray said: “Reducing long waits in the NHS is one of the biggest priorities for the First Minister and the Scottish Government.
“Our record investment in the NHS this year is allowing us to target specific areas that are experiencing long waits, reducing backlogs and getting people the appointments and treatments they need as quickly as possible.
“I am pleased to confirm that we expect the additional funding committed to reduce waiting times to result in more than 300,000 appointments and procedures this year.
“My thanks go out to all the hard-working NHS teams for their continued efforts.
“Also today I am announcing an additional £4 million specifically for dermatology. We know that this is an area with significant backlogs, so by investing in increased capacity we hope to be able to reduce waiting times for this speciality.”
Tracy Gilbert MP has today welcomed Scottish Labour’s commitment to increase funding for hospices and deliver pay parity for hospice-based doctors, nurses, and care staff across Scotland, including those serving communities in Edinburgh North and Leith.
The announcement, made today by Scottish Labour, will see hospice staff receive wages in line with their NHS counterparts through full funding of the Agenda for Change pay scale, easing the burden on overstretched hospices and helping to secure the future of palliative care services.
Local facilities such as St Columba’s Hospice in Trinity play a vital role in delivering compassionate, end-of-life care to families across the constituency.
However, rising costs and an historic lack of investment under the SNP government have left the sector struggling to recruit and retain staff.
Tracy Gilbert MP said: “Hospice doctors, nurses, and support staff are the beating heart of palliative care.
“They deserve to be paid fairly for the essential work they do, and under a Scottish Labour government, they finally will be.”
Scottish Labour’s plan is designed not only to improve pay but to protect the services that thousands of families rely on every year.
The issue of people who are well enough to leave being stranded in hospital wards and occupying increasingly scarce inpatient beds must be addressed if Emergency Care in Scotland is to improve.
That’s the response of the Royal College of Emergency Medicine Scotland as new data reveals that May 2025 was the second worst May on record for so called ‘delayed discharges’.
Published today (1 July 2025) the figures from Public Health Scotland, which detail A&E performance, show a daily average of 1,852 beds were occupied by people who were considered to no longer need inpatient care – the second highest for any May since guideline changes in 2016.
And when compared to the previous month (April 2025) – it’s an improvement of just two beds.
If patients cannot be discharged, this affects the flow of people through the hospital – and people end up stranded in A&E, often waiting extreme hours on a trolley in a corridor, for a ward bed to become available.
Covering May 2025, the figures reveal that:
125,779 people visited a major A&E Department (Type 1) in Scotland. A 6.7% increase compared to April.
Of these, one in three patients (40,261) waited four hours or more to be treated, admitted or discharged (32%).
Meanwhile, just fewer than one in 10 patients (12,672) waited eight hours or more in major EDs – the second highest number for the month of May.
And 4,863 patients waited 12 hours or more – the equivalent to one in every 26 patients. Which is a slight improvement on the previous month when 5,139 patients endured this wait.
Of the total number of delayed discharge bed days, 73% were due to health and social care and patient and family related reasons (522,599).
Vice President of RCEM Scotland, Dr Fiona Hunter, said: “Yet again, the evidence to address delayed discharges continues to mount.
“As I’ve said before, and I will say it again, the situation at our hospitals’ ‘backdoor’, where we unable to discharge people, is deeply concerning and distressing for both patients and the workforce.
“Patients when they are well enough to leave want to do just that – leave, to continue their recovery. But often they can’t because of a lack of social care.
“Meanwhile in A&E, seriously unwell people are left waiting for that elusive ward bed to become available, watching the clock tick by and counting the hours they have spent on a trolley in a corridor.
“This is the reality for thousands of patients every month, while Emergency Medicine clinicians try their best to treat patients in areas that weren’t designed to deliver care in. And it’s not just an issue confined to the winter months – it’s year-round.
“So it is hard to celebrate slight improvements in extreme waiting times when every day my colleagues are struggling to admit vulnerable patients that need further care.
“Until available inpatient bed numbers increase the crisis in our EDs will continue.”
Bringing more easily accessible care closer to home
Prime Minister launches government’s 10 Year Health Plan to bring the NHS closer to home
Neighbourhood Health Services to be rolled out across the country, bringing diagnostics, mental health, post-op, rehab, and nursing to people’s doorsteps
Neighbourhood health centres will house services under one roof, open at evenings and weekends
Plan for Change will rebuild the NHS to train thousands more family doctors, transform hospital outpatient appointments, and provide personalised care plans for complex needs
Millions of patients will be treated and cared for closer to their home by new teams of health professionals, Prime Minister Keir Starmer will set out today, as the Government’s Plan for Change delivers a ‘brand-new era’ for the NHS and delivers ‘one of the most seismic shifts in care in the history of the health service’.
The launch of a Neighbourhood Health Service will see pioneering teams, some based entirely under one roof, set up in local communities across the country, to dramatically improve access to the NHS. As part of the Government’s aim to shift care out of hospitals and into the community, they will free up overstrained hospitals from perpetual firefighting so they can focus on delivering only the best, most cutting-edge, and personalised care.
These neighbourhood health centres will provide easier, more convenient access to a full range of healthcare services right on people’s doorsteps – stopping them from having to make lengthy trip to hospitals.
Neighbourhood teams will include staff like nurses, doctors, social care workers, pharmacists, health visitors, palliative care staff, and paramedics.
Community health workers and volunteers will play a pivotal role in these teams, and local areas will be encouraged to trial innovative schemes like community outreach door-to-door – to detect early signs of illness and reduce pressure on GPs and A&E.
Launching the government’s 10 Year Health Plan today, the Prime Minister will set out how moving care from hospitals to the community is one of the three key shifts required to tackle the inherited challenges and neglect of the NHS, make sure it is equipped to look after a modern society, and ensure people feel the change and improvements in healthcare that they voted for.
https://twitter.com/i/status/1940492226800333207
Prime Minister Keir Starmer said: “The NHS should be there for everyone, whenever they need it.
“But we inherited a health system in crisis, addicted to a sticking plaster approach, and unable to face up to the challenges we face now, let alone in the future.
“That ends now. Because it’s reform or die. Our 10 Year Health Plan will fundamentally rewire and future-proof our NHS so that it puts care on people’s doorsteps, harnesses game-changing tech and prevents illness in the first place.
“That means giving everyone access to GPs, nurses, and wider support all under one roof in their neighbourhood – rebalancing our health system so that it fits around patients’ lives, not the other way round.
“This is not an overnight fix, but our Plan for Change is already turning the tide on years of decline with over four million extra appointments, 1,900 more GPs and waiting lists at their lowest level for two years.
“But there’s more to come. This government is giving patients easier, quicker and more convenient care, wherever they live.”
The plan follows Lord Darzi’s diagnosis of the challenges facing the NHS last year where he assessed it was in a ‘critical condition’ as a result of deep rooted issues including low productivity, poor staff morale, a failure to keep up with new technology, rising waiting times, and a deterioration in the health of the nation.
The PM will set out how the plan will deliver three key shifts to get the NHS back on its feet: hospital to community; analogue to digital; and sickness to prevention. Built around these three principles, the reforms within the plan will deliver the government’s promise to stop rising waiting lists, deliver more convenient care, and tackle inequalities across the country.
New health centres will house the neighbourhood teams, which will eventually be open 12 hours a day, six days a week within local communities. They will not only bring historically hospital-based services into the community – diagnostics, post-operative care, and rehab – but will also offer services like debt advice, employment support and stop smoking or weight management, all of which will help tackle issues which we know affect people’s health.
“The truth is, those in greatest need often receive the worst quality healthcare.” – @WesStreeting.
Our 10 Year Health Plan will invest billions of pounds in more equipment, staff and technology in working class communities.
— Department of Health and Social Care (@DHSCgovuk) June 26, 2025
Health and Social Care Secretary Wes Streeting said: “Our 10 Year Health Plan will turn the NHS on its head, delivering one of the most fundamental changes in the way we receive our healthcare in history.
“By shifting from hospital to community, we will finally bring down devastating hospital waiting lists and stop patients going from pillar to post to get treated.
“This Government’s Plan for Change is creating an NHS truly fit for the future, keeping patients healthy and out of hospital, with care closer to home and in the home.”
The status quo of ‘hospital by default’ will end, with a new preventative principle that care should happen as locally as it can: digital-by-default, in a patient’s home where possible, in a neighbourhood health centre when needed, in a hospital if necessary. This approach will make access to healthcare more convenient for patients and easier to fit around their day to day lives, rather than disrupting people’s work and personal lives.
Thousands more GPs will be trained under the 10 Year Health Plan, as the Government lays the groundwork to bring back the family doctor, end the 8am scramble and make it easier to see your GP when you need to instead of having to turn to A&E.
The government inherited an analogue NHS, reliant on paper and fax machines and out of step with modern technology. The government’s plan will bring it into the digital age, making sure staff benefit from the advantages and efficiencies available from new technology. This includes rolling out groundbreaking new tools over the next two years to support GPs.
AI scribes will end the need for clinical notetaking, letter drafting, and manual data entry to free up clinicians’ time to focus on treating patients. Saving just 90 seconds on each GP appointment can save the same time as adding 2,000 more doctors into general practice.
The Government will also use digital telephony so all phone calls to GP practices are answered quickly. For those who need it, they will get a digital or telephone consultation the same day they request it.
As it stands, some practices are struggling to keep up with an ageing population and 21st century health needs. New contracts will be introduced which encourage and allow practices to cover a wider geographical area. It means smaller practices in the catchment area will get more support to ensure the right access is in place so that everyone can access their GP when they need to.
Sir James Mackey, Chief Executive, NHS England said: “The Neighbourhood Health Service is a huge opportunity for us to transform how we deliver care over the next decade – starting right on people’s doorsteps.
“By bringing together a full range of clinicians as one team, we can deliver care that’s more accessible, convenient and better for patients, as well as reducing pressures on hospitals.”
The plan will also deliver on the government’s promise to tackle the current lottery of access to dentists. Dental care professionals will work as part of neighbourhood teams, where Dental therapists could undertake check-ups, treatment, and referrals, while dental nurses could give education and advice to parents or work with schools and community groups. The work therapists cannot do would be safely directed to dentists.
Under the plan, it will also be a requirement for newly qualified dentists to practice in the NHS for a minimum period, intended to be 3 years.
Following the government’s work already to roll out supervised toothbrushing for kids, the plan will also improve access to dental care for children, making better use of the wider dental workforce, especially dental therapists, including through a new approach to upskilling professionals to work at the top of their clinical potential beginning in 2026 to 2027.
This includes proposals to allow dental nurses to administer fluoride varnish for children in between check-ups, and the greater use of fissure sealants for children – covering back teeth with thin plastic coating to keep germs and food particles out the grooves.
Matthew Taylor, Chief Executive of the NHS Confederation, said: “This is a vital step towards a more preventative, community-based NHS.
“Bringing care closer to people’s homes through blended neighbourhood health teams recognises the complex and interconnected challenges many patients face, and it is the right direction for both improving outcomes and alleviating pressure on hospitals.
“In many areas of the country, general practices working at scale through primary care networks and GP Federations, are already partnering alongside other organisations to deliver joined up care. It will be important to build on these positive successes.
“Delivering on this ambition will require sustained investment in digital and estates, support for the NHS’s workforce, and a commitment to decentralise national control by empowering local leaders to do what is best for their populations.
“On behalf of our members, we are eager to work with the government to help turn this bold vision into lasting change.”
With the 10 Year Health plan the majority of outpatient care will happen outside of hospitals by 2035, by transforming care in the community.
New digital tools will allow GPs to refer patients quicker, and a wider range of services available on people’s doorsteps will mean less need to attend appointments in hospital for ophthalmology, cardiology, respiratory medicine, and mental health.
As a result of this shift to community, hospitals will be able to focus on patients who need hospital care, and get them seen on time again.
The Westminster government’s Plan for Change is already delivering action to cut waiting lists and fix the foundations of the NHS.
Waiting lists are at their lowest level in two years, including the first drop in April for 17 years. An extra 4.2million appointments have been delivered since July – over double the government’s target.
10 new surgical hubs have opened since January, and 1,900 more GPs have been recruited since October.
NHS Scotland’s governance arrangements need to be strengthened to deliver the scale of reform needed across the health service.
NHS Scotland comprises 22 NHS boards, with oversight provided by the Scottish Government. A range of governance groups are in place across NHS Scotland but there are weaknesses within the scrutiny and assurance processes at the Scottish Government level. This risk could be reduced by making greater use of non-executive directors to provide more challenge.
The planning and governance of healthcare in Scotland is becoming more complex, and this limits NHS boards’ ability to drive reform. The mix of local, regional, and national partners makes decision making and accountability difficult.
A new planning framework has been introduced by the Scottish Government and new national strategies for reform are due in 2025. Dealing with this change will be challenging for boards, but it should give them more clarity and help them to work more collaboratively to deliver reform.
NHS boards use a blueprint for good governance that was produced in partnership with the Scottish Government. The blueprint has been well received but there is scope for it to be strengthened to more clearly set out how board governance should be adapted to deliver reform.
NHS Scotland’s governance arrangements need to be strengthened to deliver the scale of reform needed across the health service.
Stephen Boyle, Auditor General for Scotland, said: “The delivery of NHS services must be reformed for Scotland’s health service to remain affordable and sustainable.
“NHS Scotland’s governance arrangements are key to delivering that reform, but they need to be strengthened.
“The planning of healthcare in Scotland is becoming more complex and the Scottish Government needs to ensure lines of accountability and decision-making are clear.”
UK Government announces £1.8 million investment to transform NHS care for veterans, serving personnel and their families
New training for NHS workers to improve healthcare support for veterans.
Programme will improve access and outcomes for veterans, serving personnel and their families.
Regional trainers will work with GP practices and mental health services to embed expertise where it is needed most
Armed forces veterans and their families will benefit from improved and targeted healthcare, the government has announced as the nation marks the 80th anniversary of VE Day.
A new training programme will ensure NHS staff across the country are supported to meet the unique health needs of veterans, serving personnel and their families.
The new programme will see NHS staff across England receiving dedicated training to help them identify and support patients with military backgrounds. GPs, doctors and NHS nurses will work with regional trainers to make sure they embed this support into their services.
Veterans can require specialised care for injuries sustained in combat, as well as mental health support for conditions like post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression.
Many also struggle to navigate civilian healthcare systems and may not self-identify as veterans to NHS staff, putting them at risk of missing out on the additional services and bespoke services that are already available.
Health and Social Care Secretary Wes Streeting said: “As we mark the 80th anniversary of VE Day, we’re honouring our Armed Forces not just with words, but with action.
“Too many veterans face a system that doesn’t fully understand their needs – that changes today.
“This new training programme will help NHS staff across England give our veterans the personalised care they deserve. Through our Plan for Change the NHS will deliver for those who have delivered for Britain.”
As of April 2025, every NHS Trust in the country became officially ‘Veteran Aware’, a status which means they have been recognised for demonstrating their understanding of military healthcare needs. The three-year training programme will build on this success and will be rolled out from October 2025 across England.
The programme, backed by £1.8 million, will support NHS bodies to demonstrate their commitment to the Armed Forces Covenant, which ensures those who serve or have served, and their families, are treated fairly and not disadvantaged because of their military service.
The training will support healthcare providers to improve identification of Armed Forces personnel, deliver more personalised care, and ultimately improve health outcomes for veterans and their families.
Kate Davies CBE, National Director for Armed Forces Health, NHS England said: “On the 80th anniversary of VE Day, we honour the extraordinary legacy of our Armed Forces— and reaffirm the NHS’s commitment to those who’ve served.
“As part of the Armed Forces Covenant, we’re launching our most comprehensive training programme yet to meet the unique healthcare needs of veterans.
“Developed with frontline experts in veterans’ health and those with lived experience, this national initiative ensures those who’ve served receive the high-quality, specialised care they deserve.”
Carol Betteridge OBE, Deputy Services Director at Help for Heroes said: “We’re pleased to see this important step forward in supporting veterans’ healthcare.
“Help for Heroes has already been delivering similar training through our Veteran Champion programme in NHS settings, and we look forward to working with NHS England to share our experience and help improve care for veterans and their families.”
The announcement follows a £50 million boost in funding to ensure veterans across the UK will have easier access to essential care and support under a new UK-wide veteran support system, called VALOUR.
Through the Plan for Change, the government has delivered an extra 3 million appointments since July to cut waiting lists and provided the biggest boost to GP funding in years – an extra £889 million, and on Tuesday 6 May, the government announced a further major cash injection of over £102 million to upgrade and modernize GP practices.
The government is also bringing back the family doctor, recruiting an additional 1,500 GPs since October, and cutting red tape so GPs spend more time caring for patients.
Poverty Alliance: ‘People in Scotland are demanding better’
The NHS will deliver 100,000 additional GP appointments and Scotland will have a ‘best in UK’ cost-of-living guarantee, including the permanent abolition of peak rail fares, First Minister John Swinney announced as he set out a Programme for Government against a backdrop of global economic challenges.
Speaking one year since he was elected First Minister and one year before the end of this Parliament, Mr Swinney committed to a package of cost-of-living initiatives for households and businesses and a new Six Point Export Plan to unlock target markets.
He set out plans to strengthen the NHS with the delivery of extra GP appointments for key health risks such as high blood pressure, and 150,000 more NHS appointments and procedures, including a 50% increase in surgical procedures such as hip and knee replacements.
Key announcements include:
100,000 enhanced service GP appointments by March 2026 for key risk factors including high blood pressure, high cholesterol, high blood sugar, obesity and smoking as well as more than 150,000 extra appointments and procedures, including surgeries and diagnostic tests, and target cancer pathways to tackle backlogs against the 62-day referral to treatment standard
The cost-of-living guarantee which includes ongoing free prescriptions, eye exams, bus travel for 2.3 million people, free tuition for students and more than £6,000 in early learning and childcare support for each eligible child
ScotRail peak rail fares abolished and the general alcohol ban on ScotRail trains removed and replaced with time and location restrictions
Winter fuel payments for pensioners restored
A new Six Point Export Plan, with a focus on actions to unlock target markets, and showcase Scotland to global buyers
A national regeneration fund that will support at least 26 projects to renew and restore communities, with a focus on delivering more local jobs
More rights and stronger protections for tenants, helping deliver more than 8,000 affordable homes, including for social and mid-market rent, and removing barriers on stalled building sites with the potential to deliver up to 20,000 new homes
The First Minister said: “This Programme for Government is focused on providing the best cost-of-living support across the UK, as well as delivering a renewed and stronger NHS.
“When I became First Minister a year ago, I heard loud and clear people’s concerns about the NHS which is why I am taking serious action to ensure the NHS meets the needs of the public.
“This PfG also shows decisive action to protect Scotland’s economy and maximise our economic potential in the face of global challenges.
“It is being published earlier than usual, in part because it allows a clear year of delivery on the NHS and other public services, but also due to the scale of the looming economic challenge.
“It is a programme for a better Scotland, for a stronger NHS and a more resilient and wealthier Scotland. It is a Programme for Government that gets our nation on track for success.”
POVERTY ALLIANCE: Government programme misses need for fundamental change
Commenting on the Programme for Government, Poverty Alliance chief executive Peter Kelly said: “Many of today’s announcements are welcome, but the package doesn’t go far enough towards creating a just and compassionate Scotland where people have what they need to build a life beyond poverty.
“More and more people in Scotland believe the system is rigged against them and their families. And they’re right.
“Scrapping peak rail fares for good will help many people on low incomes, but many, many more are still being left with unaffordable buses that don’t meet their needs.
“It’s welcome that this programme turns its back on previous cuts to affordable homes, but we urgently need more investment to create a social housing programme that will bring the scandal of child homelessness to an end.
“Reversing the effect of the unjust two-child limit for households in Scotland is the right thing to do, but there was no sign of a pledge to raise the Scottish Child Payment – never mind raising it to the £40 a week that we know is needed to meet our legal child poverty targets.
“And it was good to hear the First Minister talking about sharing Scotland’s growing wealth more fairly, but the Government simply can’t do that without using its powers over investment and taxation.
“People in Scotland are demanding better, and they want a Scottish Govt that will make the big, fundamental changes that will empower households to build a better life for themselves and a better future for all of us.”
STUC: Scrapping peak fares is a victory for workers in Scotland
Commenting on the scrapping of peak rail fares within the Scottish Government’s Programme for Government, STUC Deputy General Secretary Dave Moxham said:“This is deeply welcome news that, whilst long overdue, shows the strength of campaigners and rail unions in demanding an affordable and accessible rail network that is fit for the future.
“This is a clear victory for workers in Scotland and it’s commendable the Scottish Government has listened to the voices of our movement – and listened to their own evidence – which showed the positive impact of scrapping peak fares.
“Peak fares were, simply put, a tax on workers that hit commuters directly in the pocket. We can now ensure we build an interconnected, cheaper and greener rail networks that puts people before profit and puts peak fares out of commission for good.”
Children First: First Minister missed another chance by not increasing Scottish child payment
Children First statement on Scottish Government Programme for Government
Mary Glasgow, chief executive of Children first, said: “We hoped the First Minister would bring bold, ambitious plans to tackle the crippling levels of child poverty in Scotland. Instead, the Programme for Government, while well-intentioned, lacked real action. The First Minister missed another chance to help families by not increasing the Scottish Child Payment to £40.
“While we recognise the Scottish Government’s commitment to eradicating child poverty, supporting whole families and improving mental health support for young people, we are deeply concerned that it lacks urgency and the necessary financial resources and policy ambition.
“Scotland is facing a childhood emergency. The children and families we support cannot wait another 12 months for yet another fresh approach.
“They need action now.”
ALBA Party: Scotland “won’t accept” the Scottish Government’s decision to omit independence from its Programme for Government, says Ash Regan
For the second year in a row First Minister John Swinney has failed to mention independence in his Programme for Government with the document not setting out any plans to give Scots a choice on their future in the remainder of the current Parliament.
The SNP were re-elected in 2021 promising a referendum would be held during the life of the current Parliament but after the Supreme Court ruled against the Scottish Parliament’s ability to do so the Scottish Government have taken no action to find a path to giving the people of Scotland a choice on their future.
Alba’s Ash Regan wanted to see First Minister John Swinney set out the actions his Government will take to advance the case for Scottish independence in the run up to next year’s Scottish Parliament elections. But she has hit out as the Government has confirmed today that the only action it will take in the next year will be the publication of another independence paper.
The Alba MSP says that the Scottish Government’s plan for how it intends to progress the case for Scottish independence should have featured “front and centre” of John Swinney’s plans and the failure to do so is a “missed opportunity.”
Last year, in his first ever PfG as First Minister, John Swinney did not make reference to independence when he addressed parliament and in his speech today he again failed to reference any actions his Government would take to help deliver independence.
Commenting Alba Party Holyrood leader Ash Regan MSP said: “Last year the word ‘independence’ was not mentioned once in the Programme for Government statement to Parliament. Since then we have witnessed consistent polling showing that at least half the country favour independence.
“The failure to put independence front and centre of today’s Programme for Government is a wasted opportunity. The people of Scotland are now ahead of the SNP when it’s comes to independence and that is why we have seen a separation of support for independence and support for the SNP.
“Scots want to see a drive towards governing competently again and focus to be put back onto the people’s agenda of health, the economy, jobs and the protection of women and children.
“The case for independence has never been stronger, it is now vital we see support for Alba Party on the list to ensure the SNP don’t see out another term of Parliament without taking action on independence.”
RCEM: Scotland’s Programme for Government a ‘missed opportunity’ to tackle UEC crisis
After enduring another challenging winter, Scotland’s Programme for Government has failed to deliver a tangible plan to address the emergency care crisis. That’s the response from the Royal College of Emergency Medicine after the First Minister, John Swinney, delivered a speech today (6 May 2025) which laid out his government’s key pledges for the final year of the Scottish Parliament’s current term.
Reducing time patients wait for treatment by delivering more than 150,000 extra appointments and procedures, including surgeries and diagnostic tests.
Ensuring more people can see their GP and get cared for in the community – reducing pressures in hospitals
Ensuring more people can be cared for at home, reducing pressures in hospitals by expanding the number of Hospital at Home beds to at least 2,000 by December 2026.
Mr Swinney’s speech coincided with the release of new data by Public Health Scotland which revealed in March, there was an average of 1,925 people waiting to be discharged from hospital, despite being deemed medically well enough to go home.
That’s the highest number of so called ‘delayed discharges’ for the month of March since guidelines changed in 2016.
This is often caused due to a lack of social care support. Therefore, the system grinds to a halt, with patients stuck in Emergency Departments, often on trolleys in corridors, facing extreme waits because there’s no in-patient beds available.
Today’s figures, which cover March 2025, also show:
120,143 people attended a major Emergency Department in Scotland – a 17.7% increase when compared to February.
One in three patients waited four hours or more in Emergency Departments, one in 9 waited eight hours or more, and one in 23 waited 12 hours or more.
While waits have slightly improved across the board when compared to February, they are significantly higher when compared to March 2018. The numbers waiting four hours or more has increased by 158%, the numbers waiting more than eight hours by 490%, and the numbers waiting more than 12 hours by 803%.
There was a total of 60,129 days spent in hospital by people whose discharge was delayed – a 2.5% increase compared to March 2024 (58,646).
Dr Fiona Hunter, Vice President of RCEM Scotland said, “Today’s Programme for Government is a missed opportunity. It was a moment to resuscitate emergency care but instead, we have been left without a tangible plan.
“You just have to simply look at today’s figures from Public Health Scotland to see the level of pressure our Emergency Departments our under – thousands of people waiting extreme and dangerous long stays, often on trolleys, in corridors, because there are no available beds on wards for them to move to.
“And let’s be clear – these aren’t just numbers, data, statistics. Each is a loved family member – mums, dads, grandparents, sons, daughters.
“While we welcome the government’s commitment to improving access to GPs, this can’t be done in isolation. Equal attention is needed at the ‘back door’ of hospitals – ensuring patients who are well enough to be discharged, can be, with the appropriate social care in place.
“Only then will our patients be able to move as they should throughout the hospital system, rather than experiencing significant delays.
“Our members and their colleagues will be deeply disappointed after enduring another challenging winter. It’s left us asking, when will Emergency Care become a political priority?”
Greens hail peak rail fares U-turn and call for cheaper buses
The Scottish Greens have welcomed the Scottish Government’s decision to finally take forward the Green policy of scrapping peak rail fares for good, and have called for action to make public transport cheaper across the board.
The policy was initially secured by the Scottish Greens through budget negotiations in 2023 before being dropped by the SNP in 2024.
In the 2025 budget the Greens secured a £2 bus fare cap that the Government has committed to rolling out as a regional pilot project by January 2026.
Speaking in the Scottish Government’s Programme for Government 2025-26 debate today at Holyrood, the party’s co-leader, Lorna Slater, said: “I am delighted that the Government has finally committed to the Scottish Green policy of ending peak rail fares for good.
“Earlier this year, they said they wouldn’t do it. They even voted against Green calls to do it. We’ve finally got there.
“More brave decisions are needed to make all public transport cheaper.
“The Scottish Government agreed to Green proposals for a £2 bus cap, only as a local pilot from January 2026, but people all across Scotland need cheaper buses now.
“Will the First Minister avoid the hesitation he showed over peak rail fares, get on with delivering another great Green idea: capping the price of bus fares in Scotland for good?”
Independent Age: No New Support for Older People in Poverty
Debbie Horne, Scotland Policy and Public Affairs Manager at Independent Agesaid: “Today’s Programme for Government announced no new support for older people in poverty.
“Making sure every pensioner in Scotland receives some winter heating support is very welcome, particularly for older people on lower incomes. However, there is more the Scottish Government should do to reduce the growing number of pensioners in poverty.
“With 156,000 older people across Scotland currently living in poverty – an increase of 30% the last decade – the need for a clear strategy to address this is more urgent that ever. Our polling shows that people of all ages in Scotland agree that a strategy to reduce pensioner poverty should be created – with 9 in 10 supporting the idea. Without one, people facing financial hardship in later life will continue to struggle to maintain even the most basic quality of life.
“Poverty at any age is extremely damaging to both mental and physical wellbeing. Our 2025 Index showed that nearly one in five (19%) older people in Scotland have a household income of under £15,000 a year and almost one in three (29%) older people in Scotland have skipped meals in the last 12 months.
“In a compassionate and wealthy society, this shouldn’t be the case. Both the UK and Scottish Governments need to take action. If the Scottish Government wants to make Scotland the best place to grow old and tackle the injustice of pensioner poverty it is essential they have a plan for doing so.”
Cancer 360 brings patient data into one central system, so clinicians can prioritise those most in need and see patients quicker
Millions of patients to receive faster cancer diagnosis, helping slash treatment delays as groundbreaking new tech rolled out on NHS as part of major reform to health service
For first time, all NHS trusts will have access to technology that brings key patient information together so medical teams can easily spot those in need of urgent attention
The £2bn tech investment from the Autumn Budget will drive essential reforms, freeing up staff time and saving lives, delivering on the government’s Plan for Change
Millions of cancer patients will receive a faster diagnosis, helping cut treatment delays and boost survival rates as the government rolls out pioneering new technology across the NHS through the Plan for Change.
Currently, there are over 2 million people living with cancer, many of whom face a complex journey of tests, appointments or treatments. But a trailblazing new tool – dubbed Cancer 360 – brings all that data into one central system, so clinicians can prioritise those most in need and see patients quicker – with the technology set to benefit millions over the next 5-10 years.
This government inherited a broken NHS. Lord Ara Darzi’s independent investigation found the NHS in ‘critical condition’ – with surging waiting lists and deteriorating national health – and set out the need to improve cancer waiting time performance and cancer survival.
Cancer 360 represents the crucial reform that must accompany investment, shifting the NHS from analogue to digital, by creating a simple dashboard showing clinicians all the information they need about their patients in one place. Instead of having to gather vital information about each cancer patient from various systems, spreadsheets, emails, and records.
Health and Social Care Secretary Wes Streeting said: “This government grasped the nettle and made difficult but necessary choices to invest £26 billion into our NHS – a move that is already helping millions of patients and will help millions more.
“It’s a long road, but we’re already getting our NHS back on its feet, giving patients over 3 million more appointments, hiring 1,500 new GPs and starting the roll out of new tech that will save lives.
“It is only this government’s Plan for Change that will deliver for patients and make our NHS fit for the future.”
The real-time tool will help teams to easily track a patient’s progress, avert delays, and even produce personalised treatment plans. It will dramatically reduce paperwork and help ensure vital warning signs aren’t missed.
Cancer 360 is a prime example of the government’s commitment to reform – doing things differently by harnessing digital innovation to improve patient outcomes.
Following recent expansion of the NHS App, which has already stopped 1.5 million hospital appointments being missed and saved 5.7 million staff hours since July 2024, Cancer 360 demonstrates how we are continuing to drive the NHS from analogue to digital, giving patients better care and more control over their healthcare journey.
The investment comes from the Autumn Budget – where the government made difficult but necessary choices to put £26 billion in our NHS. This includes the biggest increase in NHS spending since 2010, excluding COVID-19 years – including £1 billion for digital transformation projects and £121 million for the NHS Federated Data Platform (FDP). While this investment is crucial, it’s the reforms in how we use these resources that will truly transform cancer care.
The new tool is built into the FDP, which brings patient information together from across separate systems into one safe and secure environment. Since April 2024, hospitals using the platform have typically performed 70,000 more procedures and reduced unnecessary hospital stays by almost 19% – treating more patients and freeing up valuable bed space.
Suraiya Abdi, Consultant Obstetrician and Gynaecologist, Chelsea and Westminster Foundation Trust said: “The implementation of Cancer 360 has enabled my team to monitor and safely carry our patients through their cancer pathway.
“The tool enables us to have in-depth conversations at our weekly meetings regarding a patient’s next step as well as allowing us to escalate queries directly to other teams for faster turnaround.
“The tool has reduced the amount of admin time spent by our cancer team therefore enabling them to focus on the patient journey. I have witnessed an improvement in performance, team spirit and most importantly patient experience.”
The government’s National Cancer Plan will transform the way we approach this disease, improving care and bringing this country’s cancer survival rates back up to the standards of the best in the world.
Through the Plan for Change, the UK government is driving forward work to develop innovative treatments and technologies for patients.
Last month the Prime Minister announced plans for a new health data research service, to transform access to NHS data so clinical trials can be fast-tracked to accelerate the development of the medicines and therapies of the future, in turn helping boost the UK’s world leading life sciences sector and drive growth.
The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence also recently announced thousands of cancer patients will benefit from new artificial intelligence which detects skin cancer. In addition, it was confirmed that the NHS will become the first health system in Europe to offer a new injectable form of nivolumab – one of the most widely used cancer treatments in England.
This forms part of the government’s wider ambitions to cut waiting lists under its Plan for Change.
With a total of 3 million additional appointments already delivered 6 months early, the government is exceeding its own targets and driving down waiting lists at pace, which have fallen for 6 months in a row and by 219,000 since July 2024 – evidence that reform and investment together can deliver real results for patients.
More than 105,500 appointments and procedures were delivered by health boards last year through an additional £30 million of targeted investment – exceeding a pledge to carry out 64,000 appointments by the end of March 2025.
The funding was targeted at the longest waits and, as seen in latest published data, there have been reductions in waiting lists across a number of specialities. Between March 2024 and December 2024 there has been:
a 71% decrease in waits for Scopes at NHS Ayrshire & Arran
a 52% decrease in Imaging waits at NHS Fife
a 28% decrease in Ophthalmology waits at NHS Lothian
a 23% decrease in Urology waits at NHS Lanarkshire
a 10% decrease in Orthopaedic waits at NHS Highland.
Latest published statistics also show improved waiting times performance with diagnostic waits at their lowest since October 2021.
In April 2024 the Scottish Government funded NHS boards to deliver 64,000 procedures (40,000 diagnostic procedures, 12,000 surgeries and 12,000 new outpatient appointments) by the end of the year.
By March 2025, 10,700 surgeries and 15,800 outpatients appointments were delivered. Almost 79,000 diagnostic procedures took place – delivering almost double the original pledge of 40,000.
Health Secretary Neil Gray said: “We have delivered on our promise, exceeding our original target of 64,000 by more than 41,000 procedures – we have carried out nearly double the amount of diagnostic procedures originally pledged, with diagnostic waits now at the their lowest since October 2021.
“This is testament to hard work and dedication of our NHS staff and I thank them for their outstanding efforts.
“This is welcome progress and shows we are moving in the right direction. But we know many people are still waiting too long and we are determined do more. That is why we are investing record amounts in our health service, targeting waiting list backlogs and delivering 150,000 additional appointments.
“This government is focussed on taking the action needed to cut waiting lists and make it easier for patients to get access to the treatment they need. Next week the First Minister will publish our Programme for Government, setting out how we will build on recent progress and further reduce patient waits in the year ahead.”
Interim trial data shows revolutionary tech has dramatically reduced admin
Westminster Government drives forward use of innovative artificial intelligence in hospitals to improve patient care
New government guidance set out today will encourage its use across health service while protecting patient data and privacy
Trials show dramatic reduction in admin and more time for direct patient care, as Plan for Change delivers ‘seismic shift’ in care to digital
NHS clinicians in England will be supported to use groundbreaking artificial intelligence tools that bulldoze bureaucracy and take notes to free up staff time and deliver better care to patients thanks to guidance published today.
Interim trial data shows that the revolutionary tech has dramatically reduced admin, and meant more people could be seen in A&E, clinicians could spend more time during an appointment focusing on the patient, and appointments were shorter.
Through its Plan for Change the UK government is getting the NHS back on its feet and slashing waiting lists. Guidance published today will encourage the use of these products – which use speech technologies and generative AI to convert spoken words into structured medical notes and letters – across a range of primary and secondary care settings, including hospitals and GP surgeries.
The government’s mission-led approach is driving forward the use of innovative tech and new approaches to reform the health system and improve care for patients – offering them quicker and smarter care.
One of the tools – ambient voice technologies (AVTs) – can transcribe patient-clinician conversations, create structured medical notes, and even draft patient letters.
Patient safety and privacy will be paramount. This is why the guidance will focus on data compliance and security, risk identification and assessment, while ensuring that staff are properly trained before using the technology.
Health and Social Care Secretary Wes Streeting said: “AI is the catalyst that will revolutionise healthcare and drive efficiencies across the NHS, as we deliver our Plan for Change and shift care from analogue to digital.
“I am determined we embrace this kind of technology, so clinicians don’t have to spend so much time pushing pens and can focus on their patients.
“This government made the difficult but necessary decision at the Budget to put a record £26 billion into our NHS and social care including cash to roll out more pioneering tech.”
The NHS England funded, London-wide AVT work, led by Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children, has evaluated AVT capabilities across a range of clinical settings – Adult Outpatients, Primary Care, Paediatrics, Mental Health, Community care, A+E and across London Ambulance Service.
This multi-site evaluation involving over 7000 patients has demonstrated widespread benefits. Interim data shows:
Increase in direct care – clinicians spending more time spent with patients rather than typing on a computer
Increase in productivity in A&E – the technology has supported more patients to be seen in emergency departments by carrying out admin for A&E staff
At GOSH, AVTs have listened to consultations and drafted clinic notes and letters. These were then edited and authorised by the clinician before being uploaded to the secure electronic health record system and sent on to patients and their families. Clinicians agreed the AI helped them offer more attention to their patients without affecting the quality of the clinic note or letter.
Dr Maaike Kusters, Paediatric Immunology Consultant at GOSH, says: “The patients I see in my clinics have very complex medical conditions and it’s so important to make sure I capture what we discuss in our appointments accurately, but often this means I am typing rather than looking directly at my patient and their family.
“Using the AI tool during the trial meant I could sit closer to them face-to-face and really focus on what they were sharing with me, without compromising on the quality of documentation.”
As it stands, clinicians in hospitals and GP surgeries are forced to spend much of their consultations recording information into a computer instead of focusing on the patient in front of them.
Once the patient has left, they are often required to take that information and summarise it in documents like referral letters. The government is determined to reform these outdated ways of working and revolutionise care, and this innovative tech will do that work for them, so they can see their next patient.
The Jean Bishop Integrated Care Centre in East Hull (part of City Health Care Partnership) has introduced an ambient scribing product to make their documentation process faster and better support their work to care for people living with frailty.
By converting a conversation with a patient into a clinical note, the ambient scribing product is freeing up time for a range of staff including GPs, consultants, nurses, and physiotherapists.
Thanks to government action, GP surgeries delivered 31.4 million appointments last month– a 6.1% increase on the previous year – and waiting lists have fallen by 219,000 patients. This technology will help consolidate this progress.
The government is already using AI to speed up diagnosis and treatment for a range of health issues – spotting pain levels for people who can’t speak, diagnosing breast cancer quicker, and getting people discharged quicker.
