Derek Chappell: "Substantial number of beds"

They have a total of 900 beds available for patients who pay for their health care.

There are currently 81,000 Scots waiting for treatment on the National Health Service.

But those in the private healthcare industry say using their facilities could slash that by as much as 10,000.

Derek Chappell of the Independent Healthcare Association said: "The private sector in Scotland has a substantial number of beds sitting there available to use.

"It is just a question of whether the politicians can get their minds round the issue of the NHS actually being taxpayers' money used to buy healthcare for the people of Scotland, or whether it is to fund the buildings that are traditionally known as NHS hospitals."

You have to have staff as well as a bed, and that would be the key to using any spare capacity that there is

Hilary Robertson

However, questions remain on whether there are the spare nurses, doctors and consultants to staff the spare beds.

Hilary Robertson of the Scottish NHS Federation said: "You have to have staff as well as a bed, and that would be the key to using any spare capacity that there is."

Others have also questioned whether it makes good financial sense to plough public money into the private sector.

It may provide a solution in the short term - but some politicians say it is just storing up problems for the future.