18,000 patients died while they were on NHS waiting lists in Scotland

By Bill Heaney

More than 18,000 patients died while they were on waiting list for treatment by NHS Scotland last year.

The shock news was announced in the Holyrood Parliament today following FMQs [First Minister’s Questions] by Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar.

He told astonished MSPs: “Last year, a shocking 18,390 patients passed away while on NHS waiting lists.

“That’s over 18,000 families with a loved one who died waiting for treatment that could have prolonged or, in some cases saved, their lives.

“In 2017, 7868 Scots died while on an NHS waiting list. Immediately before Covid it was 13,211 and if this trend continues, it will be over 20,000 this year.

“These aren’t just numbers. These are people waiting in pain, many dying far too early leaving behind heartbroken families.

“As Health Secretary, First Minister Humza Yousaf failed to get a grip of NHS waiting lists and on his watch they grew by over 175,000.

First Minister Humza Yousaf and Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar.

“Nearly two years ago he published a recovery plan for the NHS and since then, things have got worse.

“Things were getting worse before Covid and things have got a lot worse in the two years since he published his NHS catch up plan.

“Grieving families can see through these excuses. But this isn’t even the full picture.

“According to Freedom of Information responses, thousands of people are forced to leave the NHS and pay for their treatment – in the middle of a cost-of-living crisis.

“In one health board alone, the number has quadrupled between 2019 and 2023.

“And people without insurance paying for private treatment has increased by 73% since before the pandemic.

“Our NHS was built on the principle of healthcare free at the point of need. That is clearly no longer the case for thousands of people in Scotland.

“The First Minister’s incompetence has created a two-tier NHS, where people are forced to either go into debt in order to stop the pain and get the treatment they need, or to languish on an NHS waiting list.”

Patients dying on NHS waiting lists, 2017–2022

	2017	2018	2019	2020	2021	2022	% change 2019 to 2022
NHS Ayrshire & Arran	920	898	884	1,128	1,541	1,731
NHS Borders		140	174	233	336	355
NHS Dumfries & Galloway	419	354	434	522	566	763
NHS Fife	440	566	542	604	890	1,116
NHS Forth Valley
NHS Grampian	527	1,214	1,272	1,409	1,600	1,755
NHS Greater Glasgow & Clyde		2,084	2,033	2,490	3,114	3,276
NHS Highland	586	586	601	630	793	973
NHS Lanarkshire		79	110	52	83	120
NHS Lothian	4,059	4,274	4,584	5,122	5,500	5,995
NHS Orkney	179	157	173	188	189	190
NHS Shetland	12	22	10	20	22	30
NHS Tayside	706	2,247	2,367	2,261	2,099	2,036
NHS Western Isles	20	26	27	21	45	50
TOTAL	7868	12647	13211	14680	16778	18390	39%

Source: Scottish Labour FOIs

Patients removed from NHS waiting lists after receiving private treatment

	2019/20	2022/23	% change
NHS Ayrshire & Arran	49	225	359%
NHS Borders	101	293	190%
NHS Grampian	1589	2,030	28%
NHS Highland	82	121	48%

Source: Scottish Labour FOIs

Patients waiting at end of quarter:

	Qtr ending 30/06/2021	Qtr ending 30/09/2022	Qtr ending 31/12/2022	Qtr ending 31/03/2023
Diagnostics	115,253	159,992	148,256	152,567
Outpatients	392,062	476,479	477,108	479,725
Inpatient	96,328	141,593	144,517	147,241
Total	603,643	778,064	769,881	779,533