• Fewer WTE GPs now than in 2019
• Cole-Hamilton comments on record NHS waiting lists, social care delays and worsening A&E waits
• Chamberlain: Crime statistics “deeply troubling”
• SNP oversees worsening outcomes for looked-after children
• Cole-Hamilton responds to record low birth rate

Fewer WTE GPs now than in 2019

Commenting on the publication of GP workforce numbers, where despite an uptick there are still fewer whole time equivalent GPs now than there were in 2019, Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Alex Cole-Hamilton MSP said:

The Scottish Government is absolutely miles away from delivering the 800 extra GPs it promised by 2027.

General practice is overwhelmed. People are ringing their surgeries hundreds of times to try and get an appointment. GPs tell me that they can rack up nearly 100 separate contacts with patients in a single day.

Scottish Liberal Democrats would draw on the wider skills that exist in mental health, physiotherapy, pharmacy and more. By adding specialists to local teams we can lessen the load on GPs and get you fast access to the best care.

Scottish Liberal Democrats also secured more money for GPs in this year’s budget. This money can start unpicking years of damage caused by the SNP, but what the NHS really needs is a change of government.

Cole-Hamilton comments on record NHS waiting lists, social care delays and worsening A&E waits

Responding to official statistics showing a record 879,215 patients are now on outpatient, inpatient or diagnostic waiting lists, including thousands waiting for years, Scottish Liberal Democrat leader and health spokesperson Alex Cole-Hamilton MSP commented:

Hundreds of thousands of people are waiting in pain and uncertainty. People can’t get on in life and it’s impacting the economy.

Waiting lists in Scotland are now far worse than those in England, the rollout of national treatment centres has stalled, and repeated SNP promises to speed up treatment have fallen flat.

Since June 2024, the number of people waiting over two years for outpatient appointments has more than trebled. Some waits are even longer still.

After almost two decades in charge, the SNP have proved to be bad for your health. Scotland deserves better.

Scottish Liberal Democrats are bursting with fresh ideas to get our NHS back on its feet and get everyone the care they need in good time. At next May’s election, everyone can vote for those plans by backing my party on the peach regional ballot paper.

Responding to new Public Health Scotland figures showing that there are 10,702 people currently waiting on social care assessments and care at home packages, the highest figure recorded so far this year, Alex Cole-Hamilton MSP said:

Under the SNP, more and more people are stuck in hospital, prevented from getting on with their lives.

You can’t fix the NHS unless you fix care because the more patients are delayed in hospital, the longer people wait at A&E and the longer ambulances wait outside the front door.

Only the Scottish Liberal Democrats are focused on fixing care. Just look at the millions more we secured for care in our budget negotiations. This money can start unpicking years of damage caused by the SNP, but what the care sector really needs is a change of government.

Responding to new figures showing only 63.5% of people attending A&E were seen within the 4 hour target in the week ending 17th August, while 3,399 people waited over 8 hours and 1,363 waited over 12 hours, Alex Cole-Hamilton MSP said:

Since the A&E target was last met, there has been a merry-go-round of four SNP health secretaries, but not a single one has ever made a dent. The result is departments in crisis and staff burning out.

Too many people are stuck unable to leave hospital because they can’t get the care package they need to leave safely.

We cannot fix these A&E waits without fixing the problems in social care to create the capacity needed to get people seen on time. That’s why Scottish Liberal Democrats fought for more money for social care in the budget and back a new UK-wide minimum wage for care workers that is £2 higher.

Chamberlain: Crime statistics “deeply troubling”

Scottish Liberal Democrat Wendy Chamberlain MP has today warned that new crime statistics showing a 5% increase in sexual crimes are “paint a deeply troubling picture” about violence against women and girls in Scotland.

Figures from Police Scotland show that in the year ending June 2025:

• 15,129 sexual crimes were recorded, a 5% increase on the previous year (14,417) and a 9% increase on the year ending June 2021 (13,939).
• The police recorded 3,004 instances of rape or attempted ra rape, an increase of 15% compared to the previous year.
• Recorded crimes of indecent photos of children increased by 27% from 707 to 898.
• Domestic abuse increased by 26% compared to the previous year, from 2,169 to 2,742 crimes.

Former police officer Wendy Chamberlain MP said:

These latest crime statistics paint a deeply troubling picture, especially when it comes to violence against women and girls. While some of the reported increase may be down to welcome efforts to increase reporting, it is also clear that there is a very real trend here that is pointing firmly in the wrong direction.

The Scottish Government must make tackling sexual crime a key priority and accelerate work on violence against women and girls that can support victims and prevent crime. Especially after dropping the misogyny law proposed by Baroness Kennedy’s working group, the Scottish Government needs to show society that it is willing to prioritise these issues.

Police officers work tirelessly to keep people safe, but ministers must ensure that officers have the tools, time and expertise to ensure these crimes are properly pursued.

SNP oversees worsening outcomes for looked-after children

Scottish Liberal Democrat education spokesperson Willie Rennie has today accused the Scottish Government of letting down care-experienced children after statistics showed worsening outcomes on attendance, attainment and leaver destinations.

The Education Outcomes for Looked After Children 2023-24 statistics showed:

• The attendance rate for looked-after children falling from 84.4% in 2022/23 to 83.7% in 2023-24, significantly lower than 90.4% amongst all school leavers.
• 27.6% of looked-after school leavers without a qualification at SCQF level 4 or better, compared to 4.8% of all school leavers in 2023-24. This was up from 24.3% in the previous year.
• 14.7% of looked-after school leavers were not in a positive initial destination, compared to 4.3% of all school leavers. This was an increase from 13.6% in 2022/23.

Willie Rennie said:

These statistics should be an alarm bell for ministers. The Scottish Government made a major commitment to care-experienced children and young people when they set up the Promise, but the figures published today show worsening outcomes across a range of measures. Looked-after children and young people also face daunting attainment gaps which have shown no sign of being closed in recent years.

Care-experienced young people deserve the chance to succeed like everyone else but that won’t be achieved without renewed effort from the government.

Ministers need to get on top of the crisis in social work and end the scandal of children being passed from one social worker to another while they and those around them cry out for greater support. The must also address the wider challenges in the education system including violence and behaviour in schools, lack of additional support needs provision, and the teacher workforce crisis to give teachers and staff the opportunity to improve outcomes for the most vulnerable.

Cole-Hamilton responds to record low birth rate

Responding to the news that Scotland’s birth rate has fallen to its lowest level since records began in 1855, Scottish Liberal Democrat health spokesperson Alex Cole-Hamilton MSP said:

This record low birth rate reflects important changes in our population.

The SNP have done precious little to meet the challenges of an ageing population, from failing to grow the economy to their neglect of social care.

Right now, too many young people feel like their future is insecure and that things just don’t work for them. They deserve better and a fair deal on jobs and housing.