NHS is not in crisis, Scottish Health Secretary says

But in a Holyrood magazine interview, Mr Gray was asked if there was a crisis in Scotland’s health service. He replied: “No.”

The Health Secretary, who took up the most in February following the resignation of Michael Matheson, also said “most people get an incredibly good service” from the NHS.

“For people that are waiting too long – and I accept readily that there are too many people waiting far too long for treatment – that feeling is going to be there,” he said.

“For staff that are feeling burnt out or are feeling the frustration of not being able to get their patients treated, of course there is going to be that feeling as well.

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“But I want to make sure that there is a realistic balance between the challenges that are there, that are clear, that are also not unique to Scotland, I need to make sure that we’re addressing those, but I also can’t allow a situation where all aspects of the health service are perceived in that way.

“Most people get an incredibly good service from caring, dedicated, committed, professional staff.

“They do so on time and they do so in an environment that is conducive to them getting goo d outcomes.”

However, Mr Gray conceded that “there are challenges” in the health sector and said he would be the “first to accept that”.

“This isn’t a Health Secretary that is ignoring challenges or isn’t taking responsibility. This is a Health Secretary and a Government that is facing up to them.”

His comments have been heavily criticised by opposition parties, particularly as figures show 2,818 patients spent more than eight hours in an emergency department in the week ending September 1, while 1,134 waited more than 12 hours before they were seen and subsequently admitted, transferred or released.

The Scottish Government standard requires 95% of patients be seen within four hours of their arrival to A&E – but this figure has not been met since the early months of the pandemic.

Scottish Tory health spokesman Dr Sandesh Gulhane. (Image: PA)

Scottish Tory health spokesman Dr Sandesh Gulhane said: “Neil Gray is in denial. One in six Scots are on an NHS waiting list – if that doesn’t constitute a crisis, I dread to think what does.

“The reason the health secretary won’t accept what’s staring him in the face is because it would mean admitting how badly the SNP have let down patients and NHS staff.”

Scottish Labour deputy leader Dame Jackie Baillie described the Health Secretary’s comments as “salt in the wound for all the Scots dealing with the deadly crisis in our NHS”.

She added: “With almost one in six Scots languishing on a waiting list and lives being put at risk weekly in overstretched A&Es, it is astoundingly out-of-touch to insist there’s no crisis.

“NHS staff do an incredible job in caring for us but they are let down by the SNP time and time again.

“Scotland deserves better than this incompetent and complacent SNP Government.”