Waiting lists for hospital appointments in Dumfries and Galloway hit record high

Waiting lists for hospital appointments in Dumfries and Galloway have reached a record high, with over 18,000 people waiting for inpatient and outpatient appointments by the end of September. According to new figures from Public Health Scotland, seven individuals have been waiting for an appointment for more than three years in the region.

The data reveals that across Scotland, there were 568,561 ongoing outpatient waits, affecting around 510,133 people, which was a slight decrease from the previous month. However, Dumfries and Galloway saw an increase in waiting lists in September, with 12,568 ongoing outpatient waits compared to 12,282 in the previous month.

The Scottish Government has set a target for 95% of patients to be seen within 12 weeks, but in Dumfries and Galloway, 51.1% of patients had been waiting longer than that timeframe. Additionally, there were 6,474 waits lasting longer than 12 weeks in the region, contributing to the overall rate of 61% of people across Scotland waiting longer than 12 weeks.

In terms of inpatient or day case treatment, there were 156,192 ongoing Scottish waits, with Dumfries and Galloway accounting for 5,646 waits. Of these, 3,858 had lasted for more than 12 weeks, reflecting a rate of only 31.7% of people being seen within the target timeframe.

The challenges with waiting lists for hospital appointments in Dumfries and Galloway highlight the pressing need for increased resources and improved efficiency in healthcare services to ensure timely access to essential medical care for all residents.

In conclusion, the escalating waiting lists for hospital appointments in Dumfries and Galloway underscore the strain on the region’s healthcare system. Addressing these challenges will require strategic investments and collaborative efforts to enhance service delivery and prioritise patient care.