Scottish healthy life expectancy drop to decade-low blamed on SNP 'mismanagement'
Healthy life expectancy at birth In Scotland has been falling over the last decade.
SNP ministers have been accused of overseeing a “mismanagement of the nation’s health” after figures revealed the time Scots spend in good health has fallen to a near ten-year low.
The figures from the National Records of Scotland (NRS) reveal that between 2021 and 2023, females could expect to enjoy 60 years of good health and males 59.6 on average at birth. Healthy life expectancy at birth has been falling since figures for 2014-16.
Over the past decade, healthy life expectancy has remained relatively stable for males and females aged 65 to 69. In 2021-23, healthy life expectancy for females in this age group was 10.7 years and for males 9.6.
There are big differences in healthy life expectancy across council areas.
Phillipa Haxton, head of vital events statistics at NRS, said: “Between mainland authorities there are also big differences in healthy life expectancy at birth.
“North Lanarkshire and North Ayrshire have the lowest healthy life expectancies for males and females. This compares with Perth and Kinross where the average female has around 14 years longer healthy life expectancy and the average male around 13 years more spent in good health.”
Figures published by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) show that healthy life expectancy is also falling in England and Wales. However, the measure is estimated to be higher in England than in Scotland and Wales.
Scottish Labour health spokesperson Jackie Baillie said: “The SNP should be ashamed of these appalling figures.
“People’s healthy lives are being cut short and shameful inequalities are plaguing communities – it’s clear Scotland is moving in the wrong direction under the SNP.
“It is a scandal that a person’s postcode continues to have such a profound effect on their life expectancy.
“The SNP has been in government for nearly two decades and it is failing to improve public health, failing to tackle the crisis in our NHS, and failing to address Scotland’s shameful health inequalities.
Scottish Conservative health spokesperson Dr Sandesh Gulhane said: “These shocking figures are a damning indictment of the SNP’s mismanagement of the nation’s health.
“The alarming fall in healthy life expectancy – to a ten-year low – is the inevitable result of increased waiting times for treatment, persistent failure to meet targets for cancer and other serious conditions, and the crisis in drug and alcohol addiction, which the nationalists have presided over.
“Prolonged poor health has a devastating effect on peoples’ ability to work, mental well-being and independence, as well as placing a huge burden on the NHS and holding back economic growth. And, as usual under the SNP, it’s those from the most deprived areas who suffer disproportionately.
“Neil Gray, like successive SNP health secretaries before him, has failed to address this crisis. Rather than wasting time and effort on divisive plans for independence, he and John Swinney must now acknowledge the damaging impact of their policies and take urgent action to improve the health of the nation.”
Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Alex Cole-Hamilton said the findings were “a real cause for concern”, claiming the statistics were “inextricably tied to the problems and pressures within our health system”.
He said: “After almost two decades in charge, the SNP have proved to be bad for your health; on their watch, we’re falling behind.”
The Scottish Government has been contacted for comment.
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