2200 WAIT 2 YEARS FOR OPS BONE IDLE

First Minister accused of failing bone and joint patients in agony | Yousaf accused of failing to act on orthopaedic surgery crisis

- VIVIENNE AITKEN

MORE than 2200 Scots have been waiting for two years or more for "life-changing" orthopaedic surgery with more than 200 having been on the list for at least three years, figures show.

With First Minister Humza Yousaf having pledged action in the NHS to reduce waits, Labour said his time as health secretary had left a legacy of "broken promises and missed targets".

Labour health spokeswoman Jackie Baillie said it was "unacceptable" for patients to have to wait years for ops, sometimes in "excruciating pain".

Data provided by Health Secretary Michael Matheson showed there were 43,681 people waiting for orthopaedic procedures such as hip and knee replacements at the end of last year.