The Scottish Government has allocated £30 million of targeted funding to help clear the longest NHS waits.

The money has been directed to specialty areas where it can have the greatest impact against the longest waits, including cancer, ophthalmology, orthopaedics, dermatology and diagnostics.

The funding was initially announced in April and it is hoped it will help boards across the country deliver around 12,000 additional procedures, 40,000 extra diagnostic procedures and 12,000 new outpatient appointments.

The Scottish Government plans to work closely with Boards to support delivery.

On a visit to Ninewells Hospital’s ophthalmology ward in Dundee, Scottish health secretary Neil Gray said: “This initial investment of £30 million will target reductions to national backlogs that built up through the pandemic. This is all part of our programme to tackle waiting times, including waiting lists for orthopaedic treatment and diagnostics for cancer.

“Together, our actions will help Scotland’s NHS maximise capacity, build greater resilience and deliver year-on-year reductions in the number of patients who have waited too long for treatment. The number people waiting over two years for a new outpatient appointment is down by more than half in the last two years, and we want to build on that progress.

“As part of the £30 million, we have invested close to £2 million in ophthalmology helping to increase activity in the short term as we aim to deliver one cataract procedure every 30 minutes on standard lists. This will allow a more resilient and sustainable service for the future.”