Nine hospital centres pledged by SNP five years ago still not open – The Times

Nine hospital treatment centres which the SNP promised to deliver by 2021 are yet to open, including four intended to provide rapid care for cancer patients.

Nicola Sturgeon vowed in 2016 to launch five new surgery suites providing common operations such as hip and knee replacements during the next parliament. Not one is seeing patients yet and plans for two are under review.

That same year the Scottish government published a cancer strategy which said six new cancer centres would be launched, offering faster diagnoses and treatment. Insiders say just two — a “rejig” of existing services planned under a previous Scottish Labour coalition government — are operational.

Opening three new fast-track cancer diagnosis centres is now part of the SNP’s current election campaign.