A health innovation specialist believes that new figures showing an increase in NHS Scotland operations indicate the successful adoption of smarter approaches hand in hand with investment

According to Public Health Scotland (PHS) statistics, 272,465 operations were carried out in the 12 months to November 2025, representing an increase of 5.3% on the same period the year before.

The organisation found that a total of 25,261 procedures were also carried out across October, the highest number of operations recorded in a single month since January 2020.

Then in November alone, 794 operations took place daily — up from 756 a day in November 2024 — suggesting that a trend of positive progress looks set to continue into this year.

Much of this improved picture is down to sustained investment which has helped to increase capacity, with another £135.5 million earmarked “to tackle the longest waits for procedures and operations,” according to Health Secretary Neil Gray.

Innovation specialist InnoScot Health further believes that a “significant contribution” to the new figures has been made by the country’s workforce in identifying and adopting smarter, more efficient approaches to vital procedures — and that this should be a key focus going forward.

The organisation’s Executive Chair, Graham Watson said: “These new figures from PHS indicate a clear picture of improvement benefitting both Scotland’s patients and the staff who are committed to reducing their wait for surgery.

“Investment has clearly made a difference in that regard, and it is very welcome as part of a record boost of £21 billion for health and social care.

“At the same time, we are seeing more and more initiatives that make very effective, innovative use of existing resources. This has made a significant contribution in many health boards, and such an empowering trend is to be encouraged.

“Staff who can utilise their knowledge to spot opportunities for change and are ready to reach out for the multidisciplinary support that can turn ideas into reality are a vital asset to NHS Scotland.”

He points to relatively simple but hugely effective theatre designs for cataract surgery where patients are prepped in one theatre while surgery is completed in another, delivering a more continuous flow which maximises facilities.

Similarly, NHS Tayside’s ophthalmology service was able to significantly increase the number of cataract surgical procedures it could complete daily thanks to a similar ground-breaking approach to carrying out simultaneous bilateral surgery on patients with cataracts in both eyes.

The team sped up its theatre model by introducing a double nursing team working on a ‘tag team’ basis to support the surgeon, in turn cutting down time in between patients.

“No new tech, just smarter thinking to make best use of what’s available. These are timely developments too, often drawing on external insights from industry and academia against a backdrop of ever-increasing cataract surgery demand,” Graham said.

“Across NHS Scotland, theatre scheduling breakthroughs are maximising facilities and reducing downtime, while environmentally friendly innovations are helping to reduce theatre waste and support ambitious net zero targets.

“We consistently see the wide benefits derived from forward-thinking healthcare entrepreneurs with ambitions for startups and spinouts. It is essential that we inspire and encourage more across Scotland.”

Responding to the new figures, Neil Gray said: “It is welcome to see sustained and continued improvement in the number of operations carried out, despite ongoing pressures on services.”