Patient Guidance Leaflet: Hospital Appointments & Waiting Times Explained

This leaflet explains how the NHS in Scotland has changed the way that hospital appointments and admissions are arranged.

GP Referral.	<----18 weeks---->	Patient Treatment
From December 2011, the maximum time you'll have to wait for hospital treatment will be 18 weeks from when your GP refers you to the hospital. We call this the 18-Week Referral to Treatment Standard. But this doesn't mean you'll have to wait the full 18 weeks to be seen at the hospital. Most patients - especially those who need urgent treatment - will be seen very quickly. It's helpful to think of your waiting time as a "clock". The minute the hospital gets the referral letter from your GP, your waiting-time clock starts ticking. The hospital must then ensure that your treatment is started within the 18-week period.	Your waiting-time clock can be paused for a while if necessary, or can be reset to the beginning of the 18-week wait. Here's how it works. You've seen your GP, who refers you to the hospital. When the hospital receives the referral, your 18 week waiting-time "clock" starts ticking. But what happens if you aren't available for a period of time for a good reason - work commitments, illness or a pre-arranged holiday, for instance? If you let the hospital know, your clock will be "paused" at that point and will restart when you become available again. If you cancel an agreed appointment or admission, your clock will be reset to the beginning of the 18-week wait. You'll then be offered further new date(s). If you cancel or do not attend the next agreed appointment or admission, the hospital might refer you back to the care of your GP until you're ready to start.	Work on preparing the ground for introducing the 18-Week Referral to Treatment Standard by December 2011 is already under way. Between now and 2011, NHS Boards will be working to reduce waiting times for patients on a step-by-step basis. These reductions will be for first outpatient consultations, diagnostic tests and hospital treatment. Speak to your GP if you need more information about your waiting time or are unclear about what will happen to you. If you're under the care of a hospital, staff there should also be able to help.

GP Referral.

<----18 weeks---->

Patient Treatment

From December 2011, the maximum time you'll have to wait for hospital treatment will be 18 weeks from when your GP refers you to the hospital. We call this the 18-Week Referral to Treatment Standard.

But this doesn't mean you'll have to wait the full 18 weeks to be seen at the hospital.

Most patients - especially those who need urgent treatment - will be seen very quickly.

It's helpful to think of your waiting time as a "clock". The minute the hospital gets the referral letter from your GP, your waiting-time clock starts ticking.

The hospital must then ensure that your treatment is started within the 18-week period.

Your waiting-time clock can be paused for a while if necessary, or can be reset to the beginning of the 18-week wait. Here's how it works.

You've seen your GP, who refers you to the hospital. When the hospital receives the referral, your 18 week waiting-time "clock" starts ticking.
But what happens if you aren't available for a period of time for a good reason - work commitments, illness or a pre-arranged holiday, for instance? If you let the hospital know, your clock will be "paused" at that point and will restart when you become available again.
If you cancel an agreed appointment or admission, your clock will be reset to the beginning of the 18-week wait. You'll then be offered further new date(s). If you cancel or do not attend the next agreed appointment or admission, the hospital might refer you back to the care of your GP until you're ready to start.

Work on preparing the ground for introducing the 18-Week Referral to Treatment Standard by December 2011 is already under way.

Between now and 2011, NHS Boards will be working to reduce waiting times for patients on a step-by-step basis.

These reductions will be for first outpatient consultations, diagnostic tests and hospital treatment.

Speak to your GP if you need more information about your waiting time or are unclear about what will happen to you. If you're under the care of a hospital, staff there should also be able to help.

Our waiting times pledge to you...

From the end of December 2011 you'll be offered a hospital appointment and, if necessary, admission for treatment within 18 weeks of GP referral. Most people will be seen well before the 18 weeks.

If you have to cancel the agreed appointment date, we won't forget about you, but will re-start your waiting-time "clock" and make another offer of appointment.

If you're waiting for an appointment and become unavailable due to illness or personal reasons, let us know and we'll pause your waiting-time "clock" until you're able to accept an appointment.

You can help by:

Keeping your agreed hospital appointments and admissions
Letting us know if you need to cancel an appointment or admission
Letting us know if you're going to be unavailable for a period of time

Letting us know if you change your name, address or telephone details

Further copies of this document are available, on request, in audio and large print formats and in community languages, please contact: 0131 244 2574

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Patient Guidance Leaflet: Hospital Appointments & Waiting Times Explained