This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
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NHS waiting times figures published
27/11/2003
The NHS continues to make progress towards a nine-month
waiting guarantee for patients in Scotland, figures
published today show.
The new figures for September 30, 2003, published by the
Information and Statistics Division, show:
- No patient with a guarantee waited more that the
national maximum waiting time of 12 months for
inpatient/daycase treatment
- 897 patients with a guarantee waited more than 9
months for inpatient/daycase treatment. This compares
with 1,177 in the previous quarter and 3,837 at
September 2002 (a year on year decrease of 77 per
cent). Ten acute Trusts and two island Boards units had
no-one with a guarantee waiting over 9 months and are
therefore already meeting the Executive's target
- no patient with a guarantee waited more than the
national maximum waiting time of 24 weeks for a
Coronary Artery Bypass Graft surgery or
Angioplasty
- 110,661 patients were waiting for inpatient/daycase
treatment. This compares with 112,182 in the previous
quarter
Commenting on the figures, Health Minister Malcolm
Chisholm said:
"Tackling the longest waits in NHSScotland is a priority
for me, the Executive and the health service. The 10 acute
Trusts and two island Boards units who have met the nine
month guarantee early are to be congratulated.
"It is a tribute to the frontline staff who are working
tirelessly to provide an effective service to patients.
"The NHS must maintain its focus on meeting that
guarantee. The next set of figures will be a key to
providing a picture to patients of what they can expect
from the health service in Scotland. It is crucial that
once the service delivers the nine month guarantee, it
continues to work towards the six month targets for both
inpatient/day cases and outpatient consultations promised
by the end of 2005.
"I expect NHS Boards to be planning and working actively
to ensure they deliver that guarantee - through service
redesign, joint working with other Board areas, use of the
Golden Jubilee National Hospital at Clydebank or using
spare capacity in the private sector.
"There are many opportunities to make sure the waiting
time for operations is reduced to improve the service to
patients."