MSP calls for urgent action over soaring number of cancelled operations in NHS Highland

Highlands and Islands MSP Edward Mountain has called on the SNP Government to guarantee that NHS Highland will be able to carry out vital operations wherever possible.

The MSP’s call comes after new figures showed that in the last six months between April and September, only 2923 operations have taken place in NHS Highland.

That compares with an average of 7278 operations that took place between 2016-19, meaning a potential 4355 operations were not carried out in recent months.

While Mr Mountain says that everything must be done to tackle rising Covid cases, he is calling on the SNP to not forget about patients who are still waiting for vital operations in NHS Highland.

He has called on the SNP Government to ensure that front-line staff are given the full resources they need and to ensure patients are given urgent clarification as to whether their operations will go ahead or not.

“While we must do we all we can to tackle the rise in Covid cases, the SNP must ensure patients in NHS Highland who are waiting for vital operations are not simply forgotten about," he stressed.

“It is concerning that a potential 4355 operations will have been cancelled or put on hold in the last six months.

“The SNP must ensure that NHS Highland and frontline staff are given the urgent resources necessary to ensure procedures can take place wherever possible.

“As we head into winter, waiting times for operations in NHS Highland cannot spiral out of control.”

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