THE SNP Scottish government stands accused of mounting a cover-up to “save face” as the rollout of its national treatment centres (NTC) scheme falters.

Ten treatment centres were planned to be delivered by 2026 as part of a flagship policy by then first minister Humza Yousaf that sought to take 100,000 patients off the 840,000 languishing on Scottish NHS waiting lists over the following three years.

Concerns began to grow earlier this year after an unnamed Labour MSP heard from a constituent that health officials had told them their local project could be delayed by as much as two years.

Despite that MSP being reassured by then health secretary Michael Matheson that “all major projects in construction are to be completed,” just a month later, SNP Finance Secretary Shona Robison announced a freeze on on capital projects in the Scottish NHS, leading to half of the 10 outstanding projects being “paused.”

The response to a freedom of information request by the Scottish Labour Party, released today, reveals that the delays were known about months earlier.

An NHS Scotland memorandum presented to Mr Yousaf, Ms Robison and Mr Matheson on October 6 2023 stated that Mr Yousaf’s “commitment to reduce waiting times year on year will not be met.”

It warned: “The proposals set out in this paper will pause the development of the next phase of the NTC programme and the Programme for Government commitment to open 10 NTCs.”

Another, heavily redacted, document reveals that Mr Matheson wrote to Ms Robison last November about the NTC programme being completed by 2028, after a two-year delay.

By the following month, the then first minister is noted to have asked officials: “How do we handle what will be [another] commitment we are seen to be rolling back from?”

Scottish Labour’s Jackie Baillie said: “This correspondence shows that the SNP government knew the future of its flagship network of NTCs was up in the air as early as September and spent months trying to find a way to save face. 

“While the SNP has been building hospitals in the clouds, Scots have been dealing with the reality of longer waiting times that were never going to be fixed by the NTCs alone.  

“The advice from NHS officials is clear — the SNP must prioritise dealing with the backlog and giving our hardworking doctors and nurses the equipment they need.”

The Scottish government was approached for comment.