The tables below present a summary of waiting times information on patients covered by the national waiting times standard set by the Scottish Government. That is, Scottish residents waiting or seen for a new NHS appointment at a consultant-led outpatient clinic following referral from their GP or dentist (GDP). In addition to mental health and obstetrics, this section also excludes patients waiting for a homeopathy appointment.

The national standard is for patients referred by a GP or GDP to be seen at a new outpatient appointment within 18 weeks of receipt of referral at hospital from 31 December 2007. This will be reduced to 15 weeks from 31 March 2009.

Waiting times are adjusted to deduct periods where the patient is unavailable (e.g. for medical or social reasons). Patients who cancel or don't attend an appointment have their waiting times clock reset to zero. Further information .

Two tables are published - one showing information on patients waiting for treatment and the other showing information on patients who have been admitted for treatment. Further information is available on why both measures are published.

The table below shows information on the length of time that patients still on a waiting list have been waiting at month-end census dates. These figures are currently used by NHS boards to measure performance against Scottish Government waiting times standards.

NHSSCOTLAND: SUMMARY OF WAITING TIMES FOR A NEW OUTPATIENT APPOINTMENT
PATIENTS REFERRED BY A GP OR GDP

ONGOING WAITS FOR PATIENTS ON WAITING LIST

			Census date
Indicator			31-Mar-08		30-Jun-08		31-July-08		31-Aug-08		30-Sep-08
Number on list			158 787		179 523		187 087		188 438		186 954
Of which:	Number waiting over 18 weeks		402		142		142		169		132
	Number waiting over 15 weeks		4 679		3 890		4 125		5 333		5 618

Source: Waiting Times Data Warehouse

_{NHS Boards report that the number of patients waiting over 15 weeks and 18 weeks vary according to local systems. At 31st March, patients waiting over 18 weeks was 126, the number waiting over 18 weeks at 30th June was 11, the number waiting over 18 weeks at 31st July was 9, the number waiting over 18 weeks at 31st August was 33 and the number waiting over 18 weeks at 30th September was 21. These figures are currently used by the Scottish Government for measuring national performance against waiting times.}

_{Some NHS boards have reported that figures reported are inaccurate for patients waiting over 15 weeks and 18 weeks. Locally reported figures for patients waiting over 18 weeks are included in the link below.}

Comparable information by NHS board of treatment is available below:

• Summary of waiting times for a new outpatient appointment; patients referred by a GP or GDP; ongoing waits for patients on waiting list. Information for NHSScotland and NHS board of treatment (census dates 31 Mar 2008, 30 June 2008, 31 July 2008, 30 Aug 2008, 30 Sept 2008)

More detailed analyses are available in the Patients Waiting section.

The table below shows information on the length of time patients waited before being seen.

NHSSCOTLAND: SUMMARY OF WAITING TIMES FOR A NEW OUTPATIENT APPOINTMENT
PATIENTS REFERRED BY A GP OR GDP

COMPLETED WAITS FOR PATIENTS SEEN

			Quarter ending
Indicator			31-Mar-08		30-Jun-08		30-Sep-08
Number seen			200 675		215 918		220 948
Of which:	Number waiting over 18 weeks		1 173		805		717
	Number waiting over 15 weeks		28 167		23 343		26 875

Source: Waiting Times Data Warehouse

_{Some boards have reported that their figures are inaccurate. Locally reported figures are included in the link below.}

Comparable information by NHS board of treatment is available below:

• Summary of waiting times for a new outpatient appointment; patients referred by a GP or GDP. Information for NHSScotland and NHS board of treatment (quarters ending 31 Mar 2008, 30 Jun 2008, 30 Sep 2008)

More detailed analyses are available in the Patients Seen section.