In Scotland, a large number of patients are kept on hold for getting a hospital appointment and this number is increasing with a quite fast pace.

However, in May when there were 4,601 patients waiting since last 12 weeks to get an outpatient appointment; in July, it has risen to 5177.

It is shocking to know that Scotland's health board, which is considered as the second-largest health board, has made patients wait since last three months for getting a treatment.

According to information, specialists are so overloaded with their work that they are literally struggling to see patients in queue. Such a life-threatening situation has finally forced NHS to intervene and find a solution to this problem.

The matter would be discussed today by NHS Lothian with hospital management and specialists.

However, help from private hospitals has been already taken to bring a ray of hope. They have been involved for treating and clearing the backlog of patients so that some kind of improvements could be showed on papers today to NHS.

Another problem is with the records of the health board that have been manipulated to present a wrong waiting list figure.

Among all this, the Chief executive Professor James Barbour has retired and interim chief executive Tim Davison has been appointed to take the charge.