Scottish Secretary Ian Murray is expected to argue that reducing long NHS waiting lists will have a direct impact on economic growth. Speaking at an event in Edinburgh on Friday about Scotland’s role in driving UK-wide economic expansion, Mr Murray will highlight the significant number of people who are unable to work due to ill health.
His comments come as new figures reveal that more than 700,000 people in Scotland are currently on an NHS waiting list for a procedure. The delays in receiving medical treatment, he will argue, are preventing many from re-entering the workforce, leading to economic stagnation.
Health and the workforce
According to data from September last year, nearly 300,000 Scots were not working due to illness. Of these, 20,900 were temporarily out of work for less than 20 days, while a staggering 271,600 had been unable to work for a longer period.
Scotland’s rate of sickness-related work absences was notably higher than the rest of the UK. The figures show that 2.6% of the Scottish workforce was absent for short-term illness, compared to 2% across the UK. The disparity was even more significant for long-term sickness, with Scotland at 33.5%, while the UK-wide rate stood at 28.5%.
In his speech, Mr Murray is expected to say:
“Imagine a Scotland where both governments were focused on helping people into work, with the security and opportunity that comes along with it.”
“One of the key reasons why Scotland’s inactivity rate is higher than the rest of the UK is because proportionately more people in Scotland aren’t able to work because of ill health.”
“Many of these people want to work but currently can’t. Many of them are stuck on an NHS waiting list.”
NHS delays and economic growth
Mr Murray will argue that tackling NHS waiting times should be a priority not only for improving patient care but also for strengthening the economy. He will point out that the backlog in the health service is a major obstacle preventing thousands from returning to work, which in turn slows down economic recovery.
“As it stands, NHS waiting times are one of the biggest blocks on growing our economy,” he is expected to say.
“Almost 300,000 Scots are out of work and not looking for work because they are either temporarily or long-term sick.”
“Cut NHS waiting lists and you’ll grow our economy.”
Mr Murray will go on to claim that Labour’s proposed economic policies would help fund improvements in Scotland’s public services, including the NHS. He will insist that his party is committed to ending austerity and ensuring that Scotland’s healthcare system receives the necessary investment to reduce waiting times.
“Labour’s austerity-ending budget for public services in Scotland should deliver that.”
“We’ll make no apology for delivering the funding our NHS needs, and we now hope and expect the Scottish Government to deliver better results for patients.”
SNP pushes back
However, Mr Murray’s remarks have drawn criticism from the SNP, with MSP Emma Harper defending the Scottish Government’s efforts to improve the NHS. She pointed to measures introduced by First Minister John Swinney aimed at reducing waiting times and expanding access to healthcare services.
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Ms Harper responded:
“First Minister John Swinney has set out a clear plan to reduce waiting times and improve patient experiences in our NHS, delivering 150,000 additional procedures and increasing access to GPs.”
She also hit back at Labour’s economic approach, accusing the party of planning to implement spending cuts that would have negative consequences for the economy.
“What won’t help our economy is the UK Labour Government’s plans to bring back austerity and cut billions of pounds from public spending – increasing poverty, hamstringing business and limiting opportunities.”
“Ian Murray would be better served trying to influence Keir Starmer and Rachel Reeves to scrap their catastrophic austerity plans than giving speeches on devolved issues, which don’t actually include any policy suggestions.”
Political battle over NHS funding
The exchange highlights the ongoing political debate over the future of the NHS in Scotland. While Labour is positioning itself as the party that will end austerity and invest in public services, the SNP is arguing that the real threat comes from Westminster-imposed spending cuts.
The Scottish Government has insisted that it is already taking action to address NHS waiting lists and that additional funding is being directed towards increasing capacity and reducing patient backlogs. However, with NHS pressures showing no signs of easing, both parties are likely to face continued scrutiny over their healthcare policies.
As Mr Murray delivers his speech in Edinburgh, the question remains: will cutting NHS waiting lists truly boost Scotland’s economy, and if so, which party is best placed to deliver the necessary reforms?
