Humza Yousaf has denied accusations his Government is failing Scottish children.
The First Minister came under fire from Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar after a raft of figures showed significant waits for children across a range of health areas.
A Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (RCPCH) report showed paediatric waits, excluding surgical, ear, nose and throat, cardiology and mental health, rose by 114.6% between October 2012 and 2023.
The figures also showed the percentage of children waiting longer than 12 weeks rose from 1% of all cases in 2012 to 48.9%.
Speaking during First Minister’s Questions, Mr Sarwar also addressed stagnating child poverty figures.
He said: The report makes clear there’s 11 years of decline – every day of which there has been an SNP Government.
“The crisis in children’s health goes further than even this report warns. Across our NHS, whether in Camhs (mental health) services or other specialisms, children face unacceptable waits that have left them distressed and in pain.
“Isn’t it clear that Humza Yousaf and every member of this SNP are failing Scotland’s children?”
The First Minister replied: “No, I don’t agree with that. There is progress being made.”
He said ministers are taking the RCPCH report “very seriously”, but he argued data from April to December 2023 showed the paediatric new outpatients list reduced by 21%, while waits over 52 weeks reduced by 12% and 78 weeks by 31%.
Mr Yousaf added: “We’re also making sure that we’re investing in the workforce. Paediatric specialty consultants, we have increased the number by 15% in the last five years, by 64% in the last 10 years.
“I don’t take lightly at all the issues that Anas Sarwar raises about the long waits that parents and children are having to suffer.”
But Mr Sarwar said: “He simply does not get it. In every area of responsibility from the SNP Government, children are being failed with catastrophic consequences.”
Dr Mairi Stark, RCPH Scotland officer, said the lengthy waits signified “a clear failure to prioritise the health and wellbeing of our children”.
She added: “Lengthy waits are unacceptable for any patient, but for children and young people the waits can be catastrophic, as many treatments need to be given by a specific age or developmental stage.
“It is not the same as for adults: if you miss the right window to treat a child or wait too long, the consequences can be irreversible.
“What’s more, the shocking data in this report is just the very tip of the iceberg.
“We know that there are exceptionally long waits for other services children and young people access, such as surgical, mental health, and ear, nose and throat (ENT) services.
“Paediatric services need to match the existing need, and enhanced data collection can be a key tool to understanding where the backlogs are and how to direct resource.
“We need to give the child health workforce the support it needs to care for the children and young people of Scotland.
“We urge the Government to heed our advice and implement our recommendations.”