Relief after 18 months waiting for knee surgery

A record number of people in Scotland are on hospital waiting lists. More than 553,000 people are waiting for planned care for things like hip or knee surgery.

Ruth Mitchell had surgery on her knee joint after about 18 months on a waiting list.

The 75-year-old shattered her knee when she fell crossing the road. She has been unable to do the things she love like take her dog out for walks.

She was very excited to get the surgery and hopes it will bring back her normal life.

The lastest data from Public Health Scotland is for the three months until the end of March 2022. It shows over 10% of the population is currently on a hospital waiting list.

The numbers waiting have increased by more than a third since the Covid pandemic began two years ago.