SCOTTISH LABOUR leader Anas Sarwar promised today to do “whatever it takes” to tackle NHS Scotland’s soaring waiting lists — including shelling out on help from the private sector.

Mr Sarwar outlined his health plans before his keynote speech to the Scottish Labour conference in Glasgow as the party fights to fend off a Reform UK challenge for second place in next year’s Holyrood election. 

As of September 30 last year, a staggering one in nine of Scotland’s people — 636,238 — were languishing on waiting lists for outpatient appointments or hospital treatment.

Mr Sarwar said: “Our NHS is in crisis. This is a national emergency and we will use every tool available to ensure people get the care they need when they need it.

“To deal with this national emergency, we will use capacity wherever it is, even if it means travelling to other parts of the country or using private-sector capacity to cut waiting times and save lives.”

SNP Health Secretary Neil Gray responded: “We know there is more work to do, but we have a clear plan to drive more improvements, whereas Labour have nothing but empty rhetoric, which people just won’t take seriously.”