NHS Scotland 75-year anniversary: Why the healthcare system is on life support as it celebrates its 75th birthday

The SNP has joined various political figures lining up to accuse each other of causing NHS Scotland’s problems – as the healthcare service celebrates the 75th anniversary of its founding

The SNP has warned NHS Scotland faces “growing threats from Westminster”, as the health service celebrates its 75th birthday amidst a vacancy crisis, looming strike threats and thousands of Scots facing emergency room waits of up to 12 hours.

The SNP, which has been in charge of NHS Scotland for more than 16 years, marked the healthcare service’s latest milestone by warning devolution “does not provide adequate defence” from Westminster’s “financially harmful decisions”.

Sajid Javid, the former UK health secretary, has called for a review into the NHS, which he described as "unsustainable" in its current form. He has previously suggested ending Aneurin Bevan’s founding principle that the NHS is free at the point of use by introducing extra charges to see a GP and attend accident-and-emergency (A&E).

The NHS is celebrating its 75th birthday. (Image: NationalWorld)

The SNP’s health and social care spokesperson, Martyn Day, said his Government was “protecting Scotland's NHS as far as possible”.

“Independence is the only way to properly safeguard NHS Scotland for the next 75 years,” he said.

"Brexit and hostile migration policies are deterring thousands of doctors, nurses and care assistants from joining the NHS. At the same time, Tory cuts and underfunding of the NHS in England are having a knock-on impact on the money available for services in Scotland.

"No government should shy away from progressive reforms where they are needed. But too often Tory and Labour Party talk of 'reform' is really code for increased privatisation, fragmented services, and undermining the founding principle of an NHS free at the point of use.”

The milestone comes as one in three British adults say they have found it difficult to access NHS services since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, according to a new survey.

Some 34 per cent said they have struggled to get the healthcare services they need through the NHS, rising to 51 per cent among those with “life-limiting” health conditions. The new poll, conducted by polling company YouGov on behalf of the IPPR think-tank, found 17 per cent said they had paid for private healthcare since 2020.

The main reason for choosing to go private was to avoid long waiting lists, the IPPR said.

The organisation raised concerns that a “two-tier” health system was developing, whereby people who could afford it get timely healthcare while those who are unable to pay are forced to wait.

The survey of 2,014 British adults, including 543 with a health condition that impacts their ability to carry out day-to-day activities, found that overall 45 per cent support increased taxes to pay for at least the current level of care and services.

“We should celebrate the NHS on its anniversary – since its founding year, it has treated millions and earned its position as the jewel of the crown in the British welfare state,” said Chris Thomas, head of the IPPR’s Commission on Health and Prosperity.

“But we must also acknowledge that it is rather worse for wear. After a decade of austerity, a global pandemic and historic winter crises, too many people are struggling to access the care they need. This is costing people their lives and their livelihoods.”

Scottish health secretary Michael Matheson marked the occasion by thanking NHS staff.

“We are fortunate beyond words to have a National Health Service free at the point of need for every single one of us,” he said. “Looking around the globe, it is clear that what we accept as a basic human right is not enjoyed by the majority of the world’s population.

“On this day, the 75th anniversary of our NHS, I cannot express enough how grateful I am to the people who have delivered this extraordinary service through all these years.”

Scottish Conservative shadow health secretary Dr Sandesh Gulhane, who works part time in the NHS, also thanked staff. He said: “Despite the best efforts of dedicated staff, missed targets are now the norm on the SNP’s watch and it is clear Humza Yousaf’s flimsy NHS Recovery Plan, produced almost two years ago, has completely failed.

“The best birthday present SNP health secretary Michael Matheson could give our NHS is to rip up his predecessor’s plan and urgently outline a real plan to support our NHS going forward.”

Meanwhile, Scottish Labour’s health spokesperson Jackie Baillie said the founding of the NHS “remains one of the Labour Party’s – and our nation’s – proudest and most important achievements”.

“At its heart is the promise that if you ever get ill or have a serious accident, you will get the care that you need – free at the point of use, whatever your circumstances,” she said.

“These principles are at risk under the SNP and our NHS is facing the greatest crisis in its history, with one in seven Scots on waiting lists, cancer waiting times at record high and heroic NHS staff feeling exhausted and demoralised.”

Ms Baillie said “alarm bells” should be sounding throughout the Scottish Government, as statistics published yesterday morning revealed as many as 11,201 people waited over eight hours in A&E during May, with 3,716 waiting over 12 hours.

Compliance with the four-hour waiting time standard has remained below 80 per cent since the summer of 2021.

“We are now in the middle of the summer with the current health secretary having been in place for months now – but the crisis in our NHS is deepening,” Ms Baillie said..

“It is simply shocking that over 11,000 patients have waited over eight hours in A&E during May alone – with the situation continuing to deteriorate into June. It’s time for Matheson to listen to NHS workers and act to reverse this deadly crisis.”

Dr Gulhane said it was “utterly unacceptable” that Scots continued to face long waits – usually only a feature of the winter months – in the middle of the summer.

“These appalling figures show just how disastrous Humza Yousaf’s tenure as SNP health secretary was for our NHS, and it is patients and frontline staff that are bearing the brunt of his failures,” he said.

“We know that waits of these lengths lead to tragic and needless loss of life. It is disgraceful that patients continue to suffer the consequences of the SNP incompetence, despite the best efforts of my dedicated colleagues on the frontline.”