LABOUR have highlighted the case of a woman waiting 18 months for a 15-minute cataract operation to accuse Nicola Sturgeon of presiding over a health service at "breaking point".
At First Minister’s Questions, Labour leader Kezia Dugdale challenged Nicola Sturgeon over a the “shocking” delay facing Elaine Hanby, despite an official referral target of 12 weeks.
The 48-year-old mother of two from Nairn, whose Royal Navy husband died in 2006 and chairs the Royal Navy and Royal Marines Widows Association, is a patient in NHS Grampian.
Ms Dugdale said Mrs Hanby had received a letter from the Scottish Government admitting a 12-month wait for a consultant was “totally unacceptable” and, at her request, had provided information about having the procedure carried out elsewhere in the EU.
Ms Dugdale said: "If a 12-month wait is totally unacceptable, how would the First Minister describe a 3,000-mile trip to Europe for treatment?"
Ms Sturgeon said she would not comment on individual cases, but added: "Our commitment to every patient across the country, is to provide treatment, the best quality treatment, as quickly as possible in every part of the country.”
Mrs Hanby said she was referred by her optician in August and heard nothing from her health board, but was told by a hospital nurse told it could take 18 months before she had the 15-minute operation to correct her cataract, which has already made driving unsafe
She said: “This must impact thousands of people – it is unacceptable. I’m still waiting.
“I could investigate going to Europe, but I shouldn’t have to.
“The treatment target is enshrined in law, which is great – but what’s the point if the NHS clearly can’t manage it and all they’re getting is fines?”
Ms Sturgeon also faced questions on health and social care from three of her own MSPs.
Mairi Evans raised the closure by NHS Tayside of a mental health in-patient facility in her Angus North and Mearns seat “because of a lack of junior psychiatric doctors”.
Clydebank and Milngavie MSP Gil Paterson flagged concerns about West Dunbartonshire’s health and social care partnerships using beds at a hospice for social care.
And Greenock and Inverclyde MSP Stuart McMillan asked about coping with maternity ward closures in light of problems at Glasgow’s Queen Elizabeth University Hospital last week.
NHS Grampian said the delay was down to problems filling vacant ophthalmology posts, with the current waiting time from referral to assessment nine months.
A spokesperson said: “We are sorry Mrs Hanby is unhappy and would welcome the opportunity to discuss this with her directly.”
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