This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
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Figures show fall in waiting times
29/05/2003
The number of patients with a guarantee waiting over
nine months for in patient/daycase treatment has dropped
to its lowest ever level.
The new figures for March 31, 2003, published by the
Information and Statistics Division (ISD) of the Common
Services Agency show:
Inpatient/Daycase Waiting Times
- A 67 per cent reduction (from 1,989 to 662) from
the December 02 position in the number of patients with
a guarantee waiting more than 9 months
- Additional information from ISD shows a 22 per cent
reduction (from 11,536 to 8,961) from the December 02
position in the number of patients waiting over 6
months with a guarantee for treatment
Coronary Heart Disease
- No patient waited more than 24 weeks for a heart
bypass operation or angioplasty;
Combined True/Deferred Waiting List
- The total number waiting on 31 March 2003 (from the
true and deferred lists), was 107,557, compared with
108,893 patients waiting on the true and deferred lists
as at 31 December 2002 - down 1.3 per cent.
Health Minister Malcolm Chisholm said:
"The Executive and NHSScotland's main priority in the
last year has been to improve waiting times for patients.
That focus appears to be paying off with the lowest ever
number of patients with a guarantee waiting over 9 months
for treatment and a welcome reduction in those waiting over
6 months as well.
"I also welcome the work done by Trusts to ensure that
no patient waited over 24 weeks for a heart bypass
operation or angioplasty - in line with the First
Minister's announcement that this would now become a
guarantee.
"This not a pat on the back for the Executive but for
the hardworking staff across NHSScotland who have delivered
these very encouraging results for patients.
"Underlying these figures, the targeting of resources
can produce results. There has been a 66 per cent reduction
in the number of patients waiting over 9 months for hip and
knee replacements. This will continue to be a priority and
the Executive has already booked most of the spare capacity
in the private sector up until this coming September on
behalf of Trusts.
"There has also been significant reductions in the
number of patients waiting over 9 months for treatment
across a number of key specialities - from 37 per cent in
Urology to 96 per cent in Gynaecology - and relatively few
patients waiting more than 9 months in Ophthalmology, ENT
and Plastic Surgery.
"The Golden Jubilee National Hospital at Clydebank has
proved effective in helping to tackle those long waits. It
has worked well with Trusts across Scotland to bring
waiting times down in key specialities. It has worked well
above target and I know it will continue to work to bring
waits down for patients across the country."
The ISD figures also show that there are 22,231 patients
on the combined list with an Availability Status Code
(ASC). This compares with 6,244 at Dec 02. This is due to
patients moving over from the deferred list to the new
combined list.
Commenting on how this will improve the measuring and
reporting of waiting times, Mr Chisholm said:
"The abolition of the deferred waiting list is a major
step forward in making the measuring, recording and
reporting of inpatient and daycase waiting times more
transparent and fairer to patients. It will also provide
better comparisons across Scotland.
"The Executive will be monitoring Boards/Trusts as they
review, both clinically and administratively, all the cases
which were on the deferred list. This must be completed by
the end of September. We will also keep a close eye on
their use of ASCs to ensure that the codes are being used
appropriately.
"We will issue in the very near future a guide to the
management of waiting lists to help Trusts and Boards.
"But the abolition of the deferred list is not the end
of the road in our attempts to create a better and more
transparent system for patients.
Definitions and measurements will be based on open
reporting of all cases, regular review of cases where
patients are unavailable, consistency across Scotland in
measuring and reporting, and openness to independent
scrutiny and review.
"This will be backed by rights and responsibilities for
patients with better information on what they should expect
when they are placed on the list along with
responsibilities on them to attend for appointments."