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Humza Yousaf challenged by Highland & Islands MSP on NHS pressures





Highlands and Islands MSP Jamie Halcro Johnston has challenged Health Secretary Humza Yousaf over the SNP Government’s performance on reducing waiting times for conditions other than Covid-19.

Speaking at Health Questions, the Scottish Conservative MSP raised concerns over the SNP's NHS Recovery Plan and said too many people had been left wondering when they would receive the treatment they needed.

Speaking later, Mr Halcro Johnston said: “NHS staff across the Highlands and Islands have responded magnificently to the additional demands placed on them by the pandemic.

“But we know that many have worked themselves to the bone and have been left exhausted, and that health services across the NHS are already under great pressure.

Health Secretary Huma Yousaf
Health Secretary Huma Yousaf

“Weekly A&E figures are now the worst on record, we are seeing continued poor performance for the 62 day standard from an urgent suspicion of cancer referral to first treatment, and almost 60,000 people have been waiting on treatment or diagnostic tests for over 12 months.

“And the British Medical Association has said Humza Yousaf’s so-called NHS Recovery Plan contains ‘worrying gaps’, while little progress on it had been made prior to the emergence of the omicron variant of Covid.

"So is vital that these delays and backlogs are addressed, and that real action is taken. People must be able to have confidence that they will not be left waiting for treatment.

"Unfortunately, the Health Secretary was not able to give me any answers to my questions on when the backlogs will be meaningfully tackled, nor on how they will be tackled without piling increasing pressure on already under-pressure NHS staff.

“Humza Yousaf needs to demonstrate that he has a grip on this growing crisis and that he recognises the increasing seriousness of the situation".

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