An MSP has expressed concerns over the amount of patients in South Ayrshire waiting on a musculoskeletal appointment.
South Scotland Conservative List MSP, Sharon Dowey, reckons the SNP Scottish Government has failed to get a grip on the problem and is demanding action to reduce numbers.
The Scottish Government’s own target sets out that 90 per cent of patients should be seen within four weeks from referral for a musculoskeletal appointment.
However, according to the Scottish Conservatives, they say that in South Ayrshire, 1,693 patients waited longer than four weeks in the quarter ending June 2022.
They also claim there were 2,401 patients waiting in total with 70 per cent of them were left waiting longer than the four-week target.
These patients are waiting for appointments in areas such as physiotherapy and occupational therapy.
But the Scottish Government says the Tories have their numbers wrong, stating just over 40 per cent waited longer than the four-week target.
MSP Sharon Dowey said: “Patients with diseases in their joints, bones, and ligaments can’t afford to wait to longer than four weeks for an appointment. Considering most people are now waiting longer than this target period, the SNP really need to get a grip on this.
“Long delays will only cause more discomfort and pain to those in South Ayrshire who are eagerly awaiting their physio and occupational therapy appointments. That’s why it’s unacceptable for some people to be waiting as long 24 weeks for an appointment, as it stands now.
“We need to see the SNP tackle waiting times across all areas in our NHS. Unfortunately, there lacks a complete sense of urgency in this Scottish Government, and it’s the patients who are suffering.”
She added: “At the beginning of this year, I questioned whether Humza Yousaf would make 2022 the year he stepped up to support our health service. Considering the lengthy waiting times across all areas in Scotland’s NHS, the Health Secretary clearly had other ideas.”
But the Scottish Government say the Conservatives have got their sums wrong.
A spokesperson said: “The figures quoted by the Scottish Conservatives are incorrect, 1,193 patients were seen in quarter ending June 30, 2022, 485 patients waited longer than four weeks, meaning 40.7 per cent, not 70 per cent, of patients waited longer than the four-week target.
“54.5 per cent of patients were seen within four weeks in quarter ending June 2022, an increase on the 46.9 per cent of patients which were seen within four weeks in quarter ending June 2019.
“While a higher proportion of people were seen within four weeks in quarter ending June 2022 than in quarter ending June 2019, we know performance needs to improve further and we are working hard with boards to reduce waiting times.”
The spokesperson added: “In our integrated Health and Social Care Workforce Plan, we committed to creating 225 more MSK Practitioners in primary care to improve access to timely care.”
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