New data released by the Scottish Government reveals a complex picture of the nation health service. While some measures of progress are evident, NHS Scotland continues to face significant challenges in clearing its waiting lists and meeting treatment targets.
As of 31 January 2026, the latest figures show approximately 587,000 individuals waiting for treatment. This represents roughly one in nine of Scotland population. Within this total, around 458,000 are waiting for a new outpatient appointment, whilst 152,000 await inpatient or day case admission.
The Health Secretary reported undeniable progress in tackling long waits. The number of waits exceeding 52 weeks has fallen to 23,057, down by 1,814 from December. More significantly, the number of waits that have exceeded two years has dropped from 4,259 to 3,639. These reductions suggest targeted interventions are having some effect on the longest-suffering patients.
However, troubling gaps remain. Only 59.8 percent of new outpatient appointments are completed within the 12-week standard, a decline from 62.1 percent in December. For inpatient and day case admissions, 56.6 percent met the 12-week target, down from 58.4 percent the previous month. These declining rates suggest the system is straining under demand.
Scotland health service stands at a crossroads. Falling waiting times for the most chronically delayed patients offer genuine hope for those who have endured years of delay. Yet simultaneously declining performance on routine waiting times suggests the Scottish NHS cannot simultaneously solve old backlogs and meet current demand.