Page last updated: 20-APR-2008

New Ways

 

 

'New Ways of Defining and Measuring Waiting Times' has introduced a significant change in how NHSScotland collects and defines waiting times, and also how waiting lists are clinically and administratively managed. 

New Ways was originally announced in the Scottish Executive Health Department (SEHD) publication 'Fair to All, Personal to Each' (December 2004) where proposals were made to change the way patient's waits are managed, measured and monitored. The aim of these changes is to make the management of waiting clear and transparent, with information available to patients, and a consistent approach taken throughout Scotland.

From 1 January 2008, New Ways:

  • Introduced nationally-consistent arrangements that take periods of patient unavailablity into account when measuring and reporting waiting times 
  • Introduced a way of dealing fairly and appropriately with patients who do not attend appointments or who refuse a reasonable offer of an appointment
  • Makes explicit the shared responsibility of patients, GPs and hospital services to communicate changes in circumstances to facilitate efficient management of waiting and scheduling of care and to keep patients informed of their waiting status and the reasons
  • Replaces the system of 'Availablity Status Codes'

The ISD Waiting Times Programme is leading on New Ways. To find out more about the work that the programme carries out  browse the ISD Waiting Times webpages.

New Ways: Updates


Main contact: Email Joyce Anderson