Reacting to the Scottish Government's announcement of an allocation of over £106 million to help tackle NHS waiting lists, Professor Rowan Parks, President of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh, said:
"This funding is welcome news and marks a crucial step in the right direction. I'm pleased to hear that specialty areas such as trauma and orthopaedics, imaging, and cancer treatment will be targeted, where the potential for impact is greatest.
"However, with 721,881 individuals currently on NHS waiting lists in Scotland, the continued need for impactful change and strategic initiatives is evident. Focusing the available funding on increasing theatre capacity and the necessary workforce to maximise utilisation will be key in tackling waiting lists.
"We eagerly anticipate the Scottish Government's fulfillment of their Programme for Government, including the delivery of over 150,000 additional appointments and procedures. This is a significant opportunity to transform our healthcare landscape, and we stand ready to collaborate to ensure this promise results in meaningful change for patients across Scotland."