Watchdog's grim assessment of 'unsustainable' NHS Scotland

A DAMNING report into the state of Scotland’s NHS has exposed a “trail of broken promises”, critics said last night.

- BY BEN BORLAND

The public sector watchdog Audit Scotland said SNP promises to improve the health service have not been met, despite more spending and staffing.

Although it has had a real terms spending increase of £3billion since 2019, the NHS remains “financially unsustainable”.

While staffing has increased by more than 20,000, Scottish Government pledges — including to cut waiting times — remain way off course.

In particular, Auditor General Stephen Boyle said John Swinney’s promise to eradicate waits of more than one year by next spring would be “extremely challenging”.

“Despite more money (+£3 billion since 2019) and more staff (+20,000 since 2019), NHS Scotland's performance has not improved in line with commitments made by the Scottish Government,” the report stated.

“There is demand pressure across the system.