To ask the First Minister what support the Scottish Government is providing to NHS boards in order to reduce waiting times for breast reconstruction surgery. (S6F-03444)

I am acutely aware that there are patients who have waited too long for reconstructive breast surgery. I sincerely apologise to them for that. Reconstructive surgeries are generally highly specialised and can be performed only in certain specialist centres across Scotland, which are currently concentrating their efforts on treating patients with trauma or active cancers. Regrettably, that means that some patients are waiting longer for reconstruction.

As part of this year’s £30 million additional investment to address backlogs, we have allocated funding to several health boards to treat patients who are awaiting risk-reducing mastectomy and immediate reconstruction. Building on that work, officials are now engaging with health boards to develop and progress the plan for patients with delayed reconstruction.

The Press and Journal has reported that Denise Rothnie was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2020. NHS Grampian told her that she could have a mastectomy straight away but, due to the pandemic, she could not have a reconstruction at the same time, because of limited surgical capacity.

Three years on, Denise is still waiting for her reconstruction. She is languishing at the bottom of a waiting list because, shockingly, the resources to help her are still not available. First Minister, you have apologised today, and I am sure that Denise will be grateful for that. However, when will she, and other women in that terrible position, receive that vital operation?

Always speak through the chair.

I am sorry for the circumstances that Tess White puts to me, but the explanation that I have given illustrates the challenges that we face. Clinical priority is driving attention to addressing patients who face trauma or active cancers. As I explained in my answers to Mr Sarwar, we are trying to make progress on the backlog of cases that emerged during the pandemic, which is the context for the case that Tess White raises.

I cannot stand here and offer an instant solution—I am sorry about that—but I will give Tess White a commitment that the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care will engage constructively and actively with health boards to try to make more progress on the issue that she puts to me on behalf of her constituent.

I hope that Ms White and her colleagues will understand that clinical priority is being attached to trying to save lives in the circumstances that we face. In that respect, progress has been made on cancer waiting times, but I know that that will be cold comfort to the constituent whose case Tess White fairly puts to me.

Given the story that we have just heard, and the fact that, since 2020, no data has been published on breast reconstruction waiting times following mastectomy, will the First Minister commit today to ensuring publication of good-quality data on such waits as soon as possible, so that we can properly see the relevant trends?

We are exploring issues on the quality of the data that we could publish. I say to Carole Mochan that I will take her question away and determine what information can be published. She will understand that I am explaining the problem. I do not have a solution to it today, because of the clinical priority that has been attached to treating cancer. I am very happy for us to be open about the challenges that we face, but we must do so on the basis of good-quality information. I will do what I can to address the point that she puts to me.