Page last updated: 26-AUG-2008

Diagnostic Waiting Times

 

Performance Information on the maximum 9 week waiting time target for key diagnostic tests

Background

In May 2005 the Scottish Government announced a new maximum waiting time standard for diagnostic tests effective from 31th December 2007. The details are as follows:

  • By the end of 2007 patients will wait no more than nine weeks for any MRI or CT scans and other key diagnostic tests.
    The key tests are:
    - Radiology (imaging)
      MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging), CT (Computerised Topography), Ultrasound, Barium enema
    - Endoscopy
      Upper GI (Gastroentestinal) Endoscopy, Colonoscopy, Cystoscopy Sigmoidoscopy
  • The new diagnostic standards will be included within existing waiting time targets. This means patients will wait no longer than 18 weeks - including diagnostic tests - as outpatients or inpatient/ daycases by the end of 2007.
  • Priority is always given to emergencies and clinically urgent cases where there should be no question of undue delay in diagnosis.

Data Quality

Waiting times for endoscopic procedures in Scotland have been collected through the outpatient, inpatient and daycase waiting lists for several years. However waiting times for imaging tests such at CT and MRI have never previously been formally requested and in many areas it has proved extremely difficult to extract waiting times from the Radiology Information Systems (RIS). This has often resulted in staff manually counting request cards in order to determine how long a patient has waited.

New RIS systems that allow accurate recording and measurement of waiting times are currently being installed across the country and as a result, the quality of the information will improve.

The diagnostics waiting times national delivery team has worked with NHS Boards and ISD over the past 12 months to support the compilation of the diagnostic waiting time data. Common definitions have been established, and reporting systems improved. The coverage and quality of these data has improved month-on-month from April 2006 to the point whereby we can be reasonably confident that these data describe the waiting time position across all NHS Boards. 

However the data has never been systematically validated by ISD and any questions regarding the accuracy or derivation of the figures will be a matter for individual NHS boards to address.

Commentary

The tables below show the total number of patients in NHS Scotland who are waiting, and the number of patients waiting over 9 weeks at month-end for the 8 key tests in imaging and endoscopy for the period July 2007 to March 2008.