The Scottish Government

Access Targets for 2010/11

• Provide 48 hour access or advance booking to an appropriate member of the GP Practice Team by 2010/11.
• From the quarter ending December 2011, 95 per cent of all patients diagnosed with cancer to begin treatment within 31 days of decision to treat, and 95 per cent of those referred urgently with a suspicion of cancer to begin treatment within 62 days of receipt of referral.
• Deliver 18 weeks referral to treatment from 31 December 2011. No patient will wait longer than 12 weeks from referral (all sources) to a first outpatient appointment from 31 March 2010. No patient will wait longer than 9 weeks from being placed on a waiting list to admission for an inpatient or day case treatment from 31 March 2011.
• By March 2013, 90% of clients will wait no longer than 3 weeks from referral received to appropriate drug treatment that supports their recovery. Waiting times appropriate to alcohol treatment will be defined and incorporated into a target covering both drugs and alcohol by April 2011.
• By March 2013 no one will wait longer than 26 weeks from referral to treatment for specialist CAMHS services. During 2010/11 the Scottish Government will work with NHS Boards to develop an access target for psychological therapies for inclusion in HEAT in 2011/12.

Access Targets for 2009/10

• Provide 48 hour access or advance booking to an appropriate member of the GP Practice Team by 2010/11.
• The maximum wait from urgent referral with a suspicion of cancer to treatment is 62 days; and the maximum wait from decision to treat to first treatment for all patients diagnosed with cancer will be 31 days from December 2011.
• Deliver 18 weeks referral to treatment from 31 December 2011. No patient will wait longer than 12 weeks from referral to a first outpatient appointment from 31 March 2010. No patient will wait longer than 12 weeks from being placed on a waiting list to admission for an inpatient or day case treatment from 31 March 2010.
• To offer drug misusers faster access to appropriate treatment to support their recovery.
• NHS Boards to deliver faster access to Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services.

Access Targets for 2008/09

• Ensure that anyone contacting their GP surgery has guaranteed access to a GP, nurse or other health care professional within 48 hours.
• The maximum wait from urgent referral to treatment for all cancers is two months.
• To respond to 75% of Category A calls within 8 minutes from April 2009 onwards across mainland Scotland.
• As a milestone in achieving 18 weeks referral to treatment, no patient will wait longer than 15 weeks from GP referral to a first outpatient appointment from 31 March 2009.
• As a milestone in achieving 18 weeks referral to treatment, no patient will wait longer than 15 weeks for inpatient or day case treatment from 31 March 2009.
• As a milestone in achieving 18 weeks referral to treatment, no patient will wait longer than 6 weeks for one of the 8 key diagnostic tests from 31 March 2009.
• NHS Boards will achieve agreed reductions in the rates of attendance at A&E, from 2006/7 to 2010/11; and from end 2007 no patient will wait more than 4 hours from arrival to admission, discharge or transfer for accident and emergency treatment.