The Public Health Scotland report relates to the length of time patients wait to be seen as a new outpatient or admitted for treatment as an inpatient or day case.
The main report highlighted NHS Dumfries and Galloway under the section for ongoing waits for new outpatient appointments. The figures have risen by 36.4 per cent – from 9582 to 13,438 – when comparing December 2023 with December 2024.
South Scotland MSP Colin Smyth said: “These figures are nothing short of a disaster for our area, exposing the abject failure of the Scottish Government’s handling of the NHS.
“Our health and care staff across Dumfries and Galloway are working tirelessly to deliver the best possible standard of care, but they simply cannot keep up as there just aren’t enough of them.
“It is utterly scandalous that so many people are being left in pain, and potentially deteriorating, as they desperately wait for lifesaving tests and treatments.
“A string of ineffectual SNP Health Secretaries, First Ministers and recovery plans have failed to get to grips with this crisis – it’s time for a change of direction and a new government.”
