More than 20,000 patients in Scotland are waiting to see a heart specialist, according to new figures described as “alarming”, with thousands waiting longer than the Scottish Government’s own targets.
The data has prompted the Scottish Conservatives to warn the figures should be a “wake-up call” for SNP ministers, amid continued pressure on the NHS to reduce long waits.
Figures obtained by the Conservatives through freedom of information requests show that, as of September 2025, 20,549 people were on a waiting list for a cardiology appointment. Of those, 9,448 had been waiting longer than the 12-week target for outpatient consultations.
The statistics also reveal significant delays for heart scans. More than 26,000 people were waiting for an echocardiogram, with over 20,000 exceeding the six-week target. More than 5,000 patients had been waiting for a scan for more than a year.
The figures come as the Scottish Government works to meet a pledge to eliminate year-long waits for treatment by this spring. The most recent official data showed 78,587 open waits of more than 52 weeks as of 31 October, with updated figures due to be published in early January.
While year-long waits have fallen in recent months, outpatient waits dropped from 56,189 to 51,319 and inpatient or day-case waits fell to 27,268, ministers still face the challenge of clearing around 78,000 long waits by March.
Scottish Conservative health spokesman Dr Sandesh Gulhane, a practising GP, said, “These alarming figures must be a wake-up call for SNP ministers. Heart disease is Scotland’s biggest killer and every delayed appointment is not just frustrating for patients, it is increasing the possibility of an avoidable death.”
He said cardiology was another area where the SNP was failing to meet its own targets due to “years of poor workforce planning and mismanagement”, adding, “It’s time for the SNP to move resources away from bureaucracy and get them to the frontline where they belong.”
Public health minister Jenni Minto defended the government’s approach, saying, “We want to ensure everyone with suspected heart disease has timely and equitable access to diagnosis, treatment and care.”
She pointed to funding commitments, adding, “The 2025–26 Scottish Budget allocates almost £220 million to reduce waiting lists and delayed discharge, across the NHS, including cardiology. By March [2026] we expect no one to be waiting longer than a year for a new treatment.”
Ms Minto said recent figures showed progress, stating that long waits had fallen for the fifth consecutive month to October and that patients were being treated more quickly as the backlog caused by the pandemic eased.
The First Minister, John Swinney, said there were signs of sustained improvement across the health service. “Certainly, for outpatients and inpatients, numbers are declining and they’re declining on a sustained basis and have been doing so for five consecutive months,” he said.
He added, “I think we’re making the headway that’s required… we’re improving the performance of the healthcare system and it’s delivering the treatment that people are waiting for.”
Pressed on whether the government would meet its March deadline to clear year-long waits, Mr Swinney said ministers were “putting in the focus and the energy” needed, but added, “Let’s just see where we get to.”
He insisted progress was undeniable, saying, “What’s inarguable is the numbers are coming down and that’s because of the focus and the direction that I’ve brought to the National Health Service, and nobody can dispute that.”
With the pledge due to expire in March, opposition parties are expected to use any failure to meet the target as a key line of attack ahead of May’s election. However, Mr Swinney rejected claims he had over-promised.
“What I’ll say, in whatever circumstances we face, what is undeniable is that the SNP leadership of the health service is making progress and is delivering better outcomes,” he said.
He also cited recent polling showing increased public confidence in the SNP’s handling of the NHS, arguing that people can see services improving.
