Whether it has any proposals relating to the waiting times of seven months for ear, nose and throat outpatient appointments and 13 weeks fo…

I understand from Lothian University Hospitals NHS Trust that there are unacceptably high waiting times for ENT outpatient appointments. These are attributable to a consultant vacancy, and to other staffing changes, which are being addressed urgently.As a result of recent initiatives by the Trust, the average waiting time for CT scans at the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh now stands at four weeks, a reduction of nine weeks. The Scottish Executive is funding the NHS in Scotland at higher levels than ever before (£5.4 billion this year). Recurring funding of £44.5 million per annum has been allocated to the NHS in Scotland since 1998-99 to reduce waiting times and lists. In addition, a further £60 million was allocated to health boards in June to address specific priorities, including waiting times. The Executive is clear, however, that sustained improvements in waiting times can only be achieved by both investment and reform. That is why our work on the modernisation of the NHS in Scotland places particular emphasis on the redesign of services and the provision of innovative patient centred services, such as one-stop clinics.