John Swinney to unveil Programme for Government with one year to go until crunch Holyrood election
The First Minister will tell MSPs his priority remains fixing Scotland's struggling NHS as he sets his Government's agenda for the next 12 months.
John Swinney will today announce his Programme for Government for the year ahead as the clock counts down until the next Holyrood election.
The First Minister will tell MSPs his priority remains fixing Scotland's struggling NHS amid "deep frustration" among patients over the difficulty in booking appointments to see a GP.
It comes as the SNP faces renewed attack from Labour over its long record in power at Holyrood with a little over a year until Scots go to the polls.
The Nationalists won a convincing victory at the last election in 2021 but have since lost two first ministers and party leaders in Nicola Sturgeon and Humza Yousaf.
John Swinney has been credited with steadying the SNP since he took charge last April and current polls suggest he is on course to remain First Minister after next year's election.
But the party leader is keenly aware of widespread dissatisfaction over key public services such as the NHS, schools and transport.
Speaking ahead of his statement to the Scottish Parliament, Swinney said: "A renewed and stronger NHS is at the very heart of this Programme for Government.
"I am proud that through additional investment we have already delivered an extra 105,500 vital NHS appointments and procedures that are helping reduce waiting lists and waiting times.
"But we know there is more to do. While many people's experience of their GP is excellent, for many others there is deep frustration over what has been described as the 8am lottery to make appointments.
"So we will act to reduce pressure and increase capacity in the system, to make it easier for people to get the care they need, when they need it.
"When I became First Minister a year ago, I heard loud and clear people's concerns about the NHS. The Programme for Government I announce today will take serious action to put the NHS on track to meet the needs of the public."
Scottish Labour today claimed Swinney has been "at the heart" of a "failing" government and he cannot pretend otherwise.
Anas Sarwar said: "From health to education to the environment, this SNP government's record is defined by broken promises. Like clockwork, headline-grabbing plans are made and abandoned, and ambitious targets are set and missed.
"For 18 years John Swinney has been at the heart of this failing government and he cannot pretend otherwise.
"John Swinney was the Education Secretary who failed to close the attainment gap, he was the Finance Secretary who refused to reform Council Tax, and he is the First Minister responsible for the last year's u-turns.
"John Swinney was the man who broke it and now wants to pretend he is the one to fix it.
"As the election approaches, the SNP will ramp up the empty promises once again but Scotland will not forget the record of failure that hangs over John Swinney and his government.
"The truth is, if the SNP had the answers to Scotland's problems we would have seen them by now. Only Scottish Labour can deliver a new direction for our country and give Scotland a government that is focused on delivery.'
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