NHS Scotland long wait lists have fallen for the sixth month in a row, figures published today have revealed.
According to data by Public Health Scotland, the number of patients waiting more than a year for an outpatient appointment fell by 12.8% between October and November 2025, decreasing from 78,000 to 70,000.
Inpatient and day case waits of 52 weeks were also down in November, when compared to April 2025.
Other figures also improved, including a 6% drop in the number of people waiting for new patient appointments between April and November, and a 3.8% increase in the number of inpatient and day case procedures over the course of the year.
In total, more than 265,000 procedures took place.
By comparison, more than 1.3 million outpatient appointments were carried out between November 2024 and November 2025, an increase of 2.8% from the previous 12 months.
Health Secretary Neil Gray pointed to targeted funding by the Scottish Government as the reason for the improvements.
"These figures demonstrate real and sustained progress in reducing waiting times for patients across Scotland, ensuring thousands more people receive the care they need.
“We have delivered record investment of £21 billion for health and social care, with £135.5 million of additional funding targeted at specialty areas with the longest waits.
Gray added: “There is still much more to do, but I am encouraged that we are demonstrating consistent month-on-month improvement.
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“We remain committed to ensuring no patient waits longer than 52 weeks by March 2026."
However, Scottish Lib Dem leader Alex Cole-Hamilton has criticised the recent report, which also found that 834,073 people remain on NHS waiting lists.
He said: "These figures show the SNP's failure to fix our NHS. Month after month, patients are languishing on a waiting list, in pain and with no clear idea of when they will be treated.
“This can mean many are unable to work, which is impacting our economy. We’re lagging miles behind England in terms of waiting times and the promised national treatment centres have yet to fully materialise."
