Highlands and Islands MSP Donald Cameron has drawn attention to the number of cancelled operations in the NHS Highland region due to the Covid pandemic.
According to Public Health Scotland the number of operations carried out in April 2021 was 46% lower than in February 2020, the last full month before the Covid lockdown was introduced. The figures have gone down from 1170 to just 625.
Mr Cameron said: “It is clear from these numbers that while we may be over the worst of the pandemic there is still a considerable backlog of operations which could have serious consequences for people needing treatment."
“It is really important that this is tackled as quickly as possible, which is why I am supporting the Scottish Conservative proposal for the Scottish Government to commit to a one-off £600 million injection in the NHS to specifically tackle the backlog."
“We've been able to act really swiftly during the pandemic, with the remarkable roll-out of the UK’s vaccine programme being a case in point. Now we need to see SNP ministers move with the same energy to tackle this challenge.”
The figures can be found here: https://beta.isdscotland.org/find-publications-and-data/healthcare-resources/waiting-times/cancelled-planned-operations/
