SNP MSP for Na h-Eileanan an Iar, Alasdair Allan, has welcomed the Scottish Government’s announcement of £70,000 of targeted funding to reduce waiting times in NHS Western Isles.

This comes as part of £106 million of new investment across NHS Scotland. NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, and NHS Highland, which both often provide care for Western Isles patients, are receiving a boost of £24,515,664 and £10,288,772 respectively to help cut their waiting times for key procedures.

The funding will focus on the longest waits for essential surgeries and appointments, with country-wide investment including:

• £25 million for trauma and orthopaedics

• £21 million for imaging services

• £14 million for cancer treatment

• Over £12 million for ophthalmology (eye care)

This investment is part of the SNP Government’s £200 million commitment in the Programme for Government to increase NHS capacity, reduce delayed discharge, and improve the flow of patients through hospitals.

This will support over 150,000 additional appointments and procedures in 2025-26. Funding has also been committed to facilitate 100,000 more GP appointments for Scottish patients in the year ahead.

Commenting, Alasdair Allan MSP said:

“The Scottish Government is driving improvement across our NHS, with real action and investment to further cut waiting times and get patients in our islands and across Scotland the care they need faster. NHS staff work incredibly hard, supporting patients and their loved ones and delivering high levels of medical care, and it’s essential that they are supported fully by the required financial investment.

“By focusing this funding in specialties like orthopaedics and oncology, patients will receive quicker diagnoses, and waiting times for procedures will be reduced, resulting in improved outcomes for people across the Western Isles. This is in addition to work underway to improve patient travel and to decentralise treatment as much as possible, to allow people to be treated in their local hospital.

“Patients deserve timely access to high-quality care, wherever they live, and the Scottish Government is making the investment needed to continue delivering on clear improvements across our NHS services, including in particular bringing down waiting times across the board.”