Almost 85,000 people were on waiting lists

The NHS Scotland statistics showed 84,996 patients were on the list at the end of last year, up 2,637 on the previous quarter.

Health Minister Malcolm Chisholm said the number of patients waiting more than nine months for treatment had fallen to its lowest level since records began.

But opposition parties described the figures as a humiliation for the Scottish Executive.

Guaranteed treatment

The statistics were released on the same day as the executive announced proposals to abolish NHS trusts, devolve more power to local health professionals and create an independent inspection service.

The figures for the three months to December last year showed that the waiting time for outpatients was unchanged at 57 days.

All patients guaranteed treatment within 12 months received it within the time limit.

This is a humiliation for Labour and a tragedy for the tens of thousands of patients languishing on ever-lengthening lists Nicola Sturgeon SNP health spokeswoman

The number of patients waiting more than nine months for treatment fell to 1,989, a drop of 48% from the previous quarter and the lowest figure since records began in 1992.

"While progress has been made we will not be complacent, there is still some way to go," said Mr Chisholm.

"But we will continue to concentrate on those waiting the longest."

He said the rise in waiting list numbers was expected as some NHS Trusts had begun to merge their deferred lists with their true lists.

However, SNP health spokeswoman Nicola Sturgeon said: "Labour pledged to bring waiting lists down by 10,000. Instead they have gone up by almost 10,000.

We will continue to concentrate on those waiting the longest Malcolm Chisholm Health minister

"This is a humiliation for Labour and a tragedy for the tens of thousands of patients languishing on ever-lengthening lists."

"Even Labour's fig leaf of tackling the longest waits has been blown away by these figures with the number of outpatients waiting over 26 weeks rising by 8%."

Scots Tory health spokeswoman Mary Scanlon said the health service was continuing to get worse.

"Waiting lists and waiting times are now both up by over 20% in the lifetime of this parliament, and patients now wait three weeks longer than they did under the Conservatives," she said.