Child spinal surgery delay claims are being checked - Sturgeon

The first minister has said claims that nursing shortages are contributing to children's spinal operations being delayed are being checked.

Top surgeon Chris Adam told the BBC's Disclosure programme that children were waiting up to three times longer for surgery than before the pandemic.

Nicola Sturgeon said she had asked for "external assurance" on the claims.

Her comments came after the case of a nine-year-old boy waiting seven months for surgery was raised at Holyrood.

Paediatric spinal surgeon Mr Adams told the BBC that nursing shortages were contributing to up to one in four children's operations being cancelled at NHS Lothian.

• Nursing shortages are delaying spinal operations - surgeon

• The patients who gave up waiting on the NHS

• Why one patient feared hospital's nurses were being 'set up to fail'

Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar raised the surgeon's concerns, referencing the case of Harvey Martin, from Inverclyde, who suffers from neurofibromatosis.

The Scottish Labour leader said Harvey's family was told last August that he needed surgery within four weeks, but Harvey remains "in excruciating pain" seven months later.

Harvey's mum Natalie is now looking into raising money to have the procedure done privately because of the delay.

Natalie Martin with her son Harvey Martin, 9, who is waiting for spinal surgery

In a statement issued through Scottish Labour, she said: "Harvey is in constant pain, struggling to sleep, and missing out on school and other activities.

"It's totally unacceptable in this day and age that this is happening in Scotland.

"My son's health condition has deteriorated with the risk of serious complications. We simply cannot wait any longer for treatment."

Ms Sturgeon told First Minister's Questions that she would look into the specifics of Harvey's case and addressed the issues raised by Mr Adams.

She said: "I know these concerns have been investigated by NHS Lothian but I have this morning asked officials to make sure we have more external assurance to satisfy ourselves that there is no substance to those concerns."

Ms Sturgeon added that the NHS has faced "significant challenges" as a result of the Covid pandemic and cited the record number of staff now employed by the health service.

BBC Scotland understands that some of Mr Adams' colleagues, including fellow surgeon Enrique Garrido, have raised concerns within NHS Lothian about the number of spinal operations being cancelled due to staffing shortages.

NHS Lothian has disputed some of Mr Adams' statements but said "significant pressures" were affecting its waiting times.

Private treatment

Ms Sturgeon also said that patients paying for private treatment due to NHS delays were unacceptable.

And an opinion poll for BBC Disclosure suggests one in five of Scots or a family member has recently paid for private medical care.

The latest figures show a 75% increase in self-paying patients in Scotland's private hospitals.

The latest data from Phin - the private healthcare information network - showed in the third quarter of 2022 there were 4,960 self-paying patients in Scotland's private hospitals. Up from 2,835 in 2019.

Scottish Labour health spokeswoman Jackie Baillie said: "These are people on lengthy waiting lists and they are so desperate for treatment that they are scraping together their savings to go private".

Ms Baillie claimed Scotland had a "two-tier NHS".

But Ms Sturgeon told MSPs: "I do consider it unacceptable that any patient has to pay privately for treatment that they should be getting, and want to get, on the NHS.

"That is why we continue to focus on bringing down waiting times, and we will continue with that focus."