Hospital waiting lists are always politically contentious

NHS statistics said the average wait had increased from 41 days in December last year to 44 days in March.

The Scottish National Party said it was a record high, while the Tories accused Malcolm Chisholm of complacency.

But the minister said the Scottish Executive's priority was to tackle the longest waits and that it was delivering on that promise.

The figures showed that the number of out-patients seen within 26 weeks fell from 87% last year to 86% this year.

Clerical error

However, the number waiting more than six months for in-patient or day-patient treatment fell sharply, from more than 8,500 in December to fewer than 5,800 at the end of March.

The figure had stood at almost 10,900 two years ago.

Only one patient waited longer than nine months for treatment as an in-patient or day case in the first three months of this year.

The executive said this case, in the Western Isles, had been due to a clerical error.

We have been honest enough to say that a trade-off for making sure everyone is treated inside nine months is that others may have to wait a few days longer Malcolm Chisholm Health Minister

Mr Chisholm said more than half of hospital patients were treated immediately and never joined a waiting list.

"The clear priority of the Scottish Executive and the Scottish people is to tackle the misery of those facing the longest waits," he said.

"We could reduce the median time to virtually zero simply by treating those at the top of the list.

"But we have been honest enough to say that a trade-off for making sure everyone is treated inside nine months is that others may have to wait a few days longer.

"That's our priority and we're delivering on it."

However, SNP health spokeswoman Shona Robison said: "Malcolm Chisholm is desperately trying to find a silver lining in these figures, but on almost every key indicator they are simply appalling.

Perhaps the most worrying aspect of this is the unbelievable complacency of the government and its health minister David Davidson Tory health spokesman

"Waiting times have hit an all-time high. The number of elective patients being treated is at its lowest level for 10 years and the total number of patients waiting for treatment remains almost 14,000 higher than when the executive took power.

"Despite this, we don't even get an acknowledgement of the problem from the health minister. He seems to be living in an NHS fantasy land, where everything in the garden is rosy."

The Scottish Conservatives' health spokesman, David Davidson MSP, said the executive was not delivering on health.

"Since 1999, Scotland's health service has officially been getting worse and worse.

"Perhaps the most worrying aspect of this is the unbelievable complacency of the government and its health minister.

"It beggars belief that Labour can preside over a rise in waiting lists of 20,000, a rise in waiting times of almost three weeks and a fall in treatments of 40,000, yet turn round and say they are making 'good progress'."