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Press Releases

Press Release 23 February 2006 (0930h)   

Acute Activity, Waiting Times and Activity Data Development information
quarterly statistical update

ISDScotland of NHS National Services Scotland, has today published updated statistics at: http://www.isdscotland.org/Acute_Hospital_Care_Home_Page. The latest information on waiting lists and waiting times can be accessed here: http://www.isdscotland.org/isd/files/treatment.xls

KEY POINTS:

Acute Hospital Waiting Lists & Times

Inpatient and day cases

  • The current national waiting time standard is that patients should not wait longer than 6 months for admission to hospital for treatment. At the latest census point at the end of December 2005, two patients with guarantees had been waiting more than 6 months. At the end of September 2005 there had been 1,249 waiting more than 6 months and at the end of December 2004 there had been 6,005. 
  • The future target (for the end of 2007) is that patients should wait no longer than 18 weeks for hospital treatment. The number of people waiting over 18 weeks with a guarantee at 31 December 2005 was 6,706, a reduction of 2,966 compared to the end of September 2005, and 9,640 down from the position at the end of December 2004.
  • The total number on waiting lists for inpatient and day case treatment on 31 December 2005 was 108,548, a reduction of around 5,500 from December 2004. Of the patients on the waiting list 34,977 were exempt from waiting time guarantees because, for example, they refused a reasonable offer of admission or were under medical/social constraints that affected their ability to be admitted. This is around 2,000 more than one year ago, but down on the previous three quarterly censuses.

Outpatients

  • The current national waiting time standard is that patients should waiting no longer than 6 months from GP/dentist referral to being seen at an outpatient clinic. At the latest census point at the end of December 2005, two patients with a guarantee had been waiting longer than six months (excluding dental hospitals).  This is a reduction from 11,854 at the September census.  When the first Outpatient Waiting List census was first published on the ISD Data Development site in November 2004, there were 53,579 patients reported as waiting longer than six months at the end of September 2004.
  • The future target (for the end of 2007) is that patients should wait no longer than 18 weeks for this first outpatient appointment. At the latest census point at the end of December 2005, 15,347 patients had been waiting longer than 18 weeks (excluding dental hospitals).  This is a reduction from 34,342 at the September census.  When the first Outpatient Waiting List census was first published on the ISD Data Development site in November 2004, there were 76,311 patients reported as waiting longer than six months at the end of September 2004.
  • The number on waiting lists for an outpatient appointment following referral by a GP/dentist was 178,605 (excluding dental hospitals) at 31 December 2005, a reduction of around 32,000 (15%) from that reported for the previous quarter end.
  • The statistics on the website also enable a retrospective look at how long patients already seen at outpatient clinics had actually waited. This gives a perspective on the actual waits experienced by patients in the recent past and how these waits have changed over time. Statistics presented include the median wait and the percentage seen within time bands.  These retrospective statistics indicate, for example, that the percentage seen within 6 months during the latest quarter was 89.9% compared to 90.9% during the quarter ending 30 September 2006 and 83.9% during the quarter ending 31 December 2004.

Acute Hospital Activity

  • The volume of consultant inpatient, day case and outpatient activity in NHSScotland is higher than most previous recent quarters.  Provisional figures show that for the quarter ending 31 December 2005 318,529 new outpatients were seen at consultant clinics,  121,469 inpatients were admitted as emergencies, 51,346 inpatients were admitted electively (planned) and 99,103 day cases were performed.  The total of this first outpatient/inpatient/day case activity for the quarter ending 31 December 2005 at 590,446 was 20,000 (3.5%) higher than the previous quarter and 15,000 (2.6%) higher than the same quarter last year.
  • This release again includes updated provisional statistics on nurse-led outpatient activity.  The latest provisional figures report 134,474 attendances of which 20,128 were new patients, during the quarter ended 31 December 2005.

BACKGROUND NOTES FOR EDITORS

  1. The health or personal circumstances of some patients may affect their availability to be admitted for treatment. These patients are identified through being assigned an Availability Status Code (ASC). The waiting times for outpatients and coronary angiography & revascularisation shown refer to patients who do not have an ASC assigned.
  2. Most figures shown on these web pages are provisional and will be updated in future quarterly releases (especially those for the latest quarters). The precision of statistics such as the median can sometimes be affected by how complete the base information is. The latest quarters are marked as provisional and are likely to change slightly as more complete information become available nationally.
  3. Definitions used and other important background details are contained in the glossary on the web pages at http://www.isdscotland.org/acute_activity_glossary.

Data Developments

The topics updated today on the Data Development pages are:

Nurse-led clinic activity ,
Patients waiting for outpatient appointments,
The table showing Surgical procedures performed in outpatients has been revised.
The table showing Allied Health Professionals activity have been revised slightly.

All of these changes can be found at

http://www.isdscotland.org/data_development


Comparing median waiting times in Scotland and England

ISD has added more recent data to its short discussion paper that compares reported median waiting times in Scotland and England. This can be found at:  http://www.isdscotland.org/isd/files/lv2474.doc link to a microsoft word file.

National Statistics and ISDScotland

This is an ISDScotland National Statistics release.  National Statistics are produced to high professional standards and adhere to codes of practice.  They undergo regular quality assurance reviews to ensure that they meet customer needs.  They are produced free from any political interference.

ISDScotland collects, collates and maintain a wide range of health service data sets, which form the national corporate database for NHSScotland.  By providing information, statistical services and effective use of information management and technology, ISDScotland contributes to health improvement by informing decision-making, research and debate within the NHSScotland, government department and other organisations.   Information Services (ISDScotland or ISD) is part of NHS National Services Scotland. For more information about ISDScotland see the ISDScotland website:

http://www.isdscotland.org/isd
 

Further Information is available from:

Stephen Young
Healthcare Information Group
Tel: 0131 275 6911
email: stephen.young@isd.csa.scot.nhs.uk

or

David Murphy
Healthcare Information Group
Tel: 0131 275 6624
email: david.murphy@isd.csa.scot.nhs.uk


Main contact: Email Stephen Young