Scottish First Minister Humza Yousaf has announced an initial £30 million of targeted investment for Q1 of the new financial year to help reduce inpatient and day-case waiting lists.

The money is part of a £300 million plan over the next three years.

It is hoped the investment will help drive down waiting lists by an estimated 100,000 patients over three years.

In October 2023, Yousag announced annual funding of £100 million to help reduce inpatient and day-case waiting lists - subject to the annual Scottish Budget setting process.

The initial £100 million can now be funded as part of the on-going management of the Scottish Budget.

Yousaf visited the National Treatment Centre in Fife, which was celebrating one year since its official opening.

He said: “As I set out last October, we are committed to accelerating treatment in our NHS and reducing inpatient and day-case waiting lists by an estimated 100,000 patients over the next three years, backed by planned investment of an extra £100 million annually.

“This initial investment of £30 million will target reductions to national backlogs that built up through the pandemic, including orthopaedic treatment, diagnostics for cancer referrals and patients with the longest waits.

“This is all part of our programme to drive up productivity and tackle waiting lists, supported by the Centre for Sustainable Delivery. Together, our actions will further enable NHS Scotland to maximise capacity, build greater resilience and deliver year-on-year reductions in the number of patients who have waited too long for treatment.