Over a 4 year period, a staggering 15,500 fewer operations were carried out in Dumfries and Galloway new figures have revealed.
A total of 62,408 operations were performed between March 2020 to June 2024 compared to the equivalent period prior to 2020 when 78,064 were reported.
Local constituency MSP Finlay Carson described the situation as “shameful” and pointed the finger of blame on Humza Yousaf’s flimsy Covid recovery plan.
He said patients are still feeling the effects of the failure of the former Health Secretary and First Minister in tackling the crisis.
His criticism comes after the latest statistics showed that more than 470,000 fewer operations have taken place in Scotland since the pandemic struck.
The Galloway and West Dumfries MSP said: “The SNP’s dire workforce planning and the abject failure of Yousaf’s recovery plan means increasing numbers of patients are having operations cancelled at the last minute.
“It is clearly obvious that SNP Health Secretary Neil Gray needs to outline a proper recovery plan for patients and staff in NHS Dumfries and Galloway as well as back Scottish Conservative policies that would deliver a modern, efficient and local health service that is fit for purpose.
“The Scottish Government has failed miserably to remobilise frontline services – and that is shown in the sharp reduction of operations that are now being carried out, compared to before the pandemic.”
Mr Carson continued: “Many patients are seeing operations cancelled on the day, or the day before, they were scheduled – which takes a huge toll on them, mentally as well as physically.
“Dire workforce planning by successive SNP health secretaries means staff in NHS Dumfries and Galloway are dangerously overstretched and simply cannot carry out all the scheduled operations, despite their best efforts.
It is a similar situation when it comes to delayed discharge from local hospitals where a three per cent increase has been reported.
In June 2024, 2,967 delayed bed days were reported occupied, an average of 99 beds daily, this compares to 2,876 delayed bed days in June 2023, an average of 96 beds daily.
The Scottish Conservative and Unionist MSP said these figures reveal a record number of beds being occupied locally and nationally by patients deemed fit enough to be released.
He said: “Once again this is a damning indictment of the SNP’s mismanagement of the NHS.
“Shona Robison, the health secretary at the time, promised to eradicate delayed discharge – or so-called bed-blocking – back in 2015. But, nine years on, it has reached record highs.
“These delays have a “devastating” knock-on effect on other areas of the health service, including patients having operations cancelled and longer waits at A&E.
“The SNP need to get a grip of this crisis and ensure that local social care providers in NHS Dumfries and Galloway have the resources they need so that patients can be discharged from hospitals, and the pressure is eased on frontline medical staff.”
Mr Carson continued: “There are patients who are fit and healthy enough to leave hospital, and who are desperate to return their home or care home, yet find themselves stuck in hospital beds.
“The SNP promised to eradicate delayed discharge from hospitals nine years ago, but instead we see levels soaring from year to year.”
