SCOTTISH Health Minister Sam Galbraith yesterday admitted the Government had fallen down on its pledges on waiting lists, but promised that they would improve, writes Chris Holme.

He told the annual NHS in Scotland conference at Peebles that an additional #45m had been put in after numbers rose last year. A task force was working to cut lists and keep them down.

''I am determined to reverse the trend and do so straight away. I want to see a steady decrease in the figures from now on,'' Mr Galbraith said. ''The Government has provided the resources to achieve this. I am looking to chairmen and chief executives to work with their clinicians to deliver.''

Mr Galbraith said much progress had been made in modernising the health service and dumping the internal market. ''Now, from the firmest foundation our managers and clinicians have experienced in years, I want them to take the next major step. I want the NHS to provide the people of Scotland with the most modern health service in Europe.''