Scots Spend £2.5K for Eye Surgery as SNP Faces Waiting List Crisis

Growing Crisis in NHS Waiting Times Forces Scots to Pay for Private Cataract Surgery

The National Health Service (NHS) in Scotland is facing a growing crisis, with thousands of patients turning to private care due to long waiting times for essential treatments. Recent data reveals that an increasing number of Scots are using their savings to pay for cataract surgery, as the public healthcare system struggles to keep up with demand.

In 2024, approximately 8,500 people in Scotland opted for private cataract surgery, paying around £2,500 each for the procedure. This represents more than double the number of individuals who chose private care in 2019, when the figure stood at 4,075. The rise in private procedures highlights the severity of the situation and the pressure being placed on patients to seek alternative solutions.

Currently, 19,000 people across Scotland are waiting for cataract surgery through the NHS. Some individuals have been on waiting lists for over three years, with one patient in NHS Grampian having waited for 1,253 days—nearly three-and-a-half years. Other health boards also report lengthy waits, including:

• NHS Shetland: 869 days
• NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde: 824 days
• NHS Ayrshire and Arran: 680 days
• NHS Borders: 644 days
• NHS Fife: 548 days
• NHS Lanarkshire: 532 days
• NHS Highland: 508 days

These delays are causing significant distress among patients and their families. Public Health Scotland recently acknowledged that waiting times for specialist appointments and treatments have reached record highs, with over 5,262 people waiting more than two years for outpatient care. Despite efforts by the Scottish government to reduce waiting lists, the problem continues to grow.

First Minister John Swinney has set goals to address the issue, but critics argue that progress has been slow. Alex Cole-Hamilton, leader of the Scottish Liberal Democrats, expressed concern over the impact of long waits on patients. He stated that while NHS staff are working hard to reduce backlogs, they are not receiving the necessary support from leadership. Cole-Hamilton criticized the Scottish National Party (SNP) for lacking a clear plan to tackle long waiting times, particularly in complex specialties like cataract surgery.

The financial burden on patients is also becoming increasingly evident. With the NHS struggling to meet demand, many are forced to pay out-of-pocket for treatment. Data from the Private Healthcare Market Information group shows a sharp increase in private procedures, indicating that more people are seeking timely care outside the public system.

The scale of the waiting list crisis is also reflected in the number of patients awaiting cataract surgery. Across Scotland, 18,956 individuals are on the waiting list, with NHS Ayrshire and Arran having the longest list at 3,207 patients. NHS Fife follows closely behind with 2,440 patients waiting for the procedure.

In response to the growing concerns, the Scottish Government has allocated £106 million to health boards to help reduce waiting times and deliver over 150,000 additional appointments and procedures. NHS Grampian has also acknowledged the issue, stating that it is taking action to address the backlog and apologizing to those who have experienced long waits.

As the pressure on the NHS continues to mount, the need for effective solutions becomes more urgent. Patients are increasingly turning to private care, highlighting the strain on the public system and the growing inequality in access to timely medical treatment. Without substantial investment and strategic planning, the challenges faced by the NHS in Scotland are likely to persist.