Page last updated: 25-NOV-2008

New Outpatient - Waiting List Activity

 

The tables below present information about the waiting list for a new NHS appointment at a consultant-led outpatient clinic (the specialties of mental health and obstetrics are excluded).

The first table shows the number of patients on the waiting list, whether they were available or unavailable at month-end census dates, and the type of unavailability.

Under 'New Ways' if a patient is unavailable for treatment and unable to accept an offer of appointment then this is recorded.

If a patient informs the hospital that they will be unable to accept an appointment because, for example, they are on holiday for a fortnight, then this may be recorded as Social Unavailability.

If a patient is medically unable to undergo a procedure because for example, they have another medical issue such as raised blood pressure that makes treatment inadvisable then this should be recorded as Medical Unavailability.

Periods of social or medical unavailability of more than 7 days are deducted from the calculation of wait.

NHSSCOTLAND: AVAILABILITY OF PATIENTS ON WAITING LIST FOR A NEW OUTPATIENT APPOINTMENT

  Census date
 
Indicator 31-Mar-08 30-Jun-08 31-Jul-08 31-Aug-08 30-Sep-08
Number on list 207 593 231 919 242 435 244 812 244 872
Of which: Available for treatment 202 686 224 999 235 060 238 241 238 372
Unavailable for treatment 4 907 6 920 7 375 6 571 6 500
Of which: Social 3 129 4 699 5 086 4 496 4 625
Medical 1 260 1 357 1 440 1 537 1 515

Source: Waiting Times Data Warehouse

Comparable information by NHS board of treatment is available below:

The table below shows various statistics relating to patients on a waiting list for a new outpatient appointment. The indicators are described below the table.

NHSSCOTLAND:  NEW OUTPATIENT WAITING LIST ACTIVITY

  Quarter ending
 
Indicator 31-Mar-08 30-Jun-08 30-Sep-08
Additions to list 362 484 409 807 399 001
 
Removals from list 352 656 385 249 387 741
Of which: Attended 281 801 306 928  311 131
Referred back to GP 24 144 26 067  27 681
Transferred 10 637 11 779 11 752
Treatment no longer required 19 015 21 570 20 586
 
Accepted appointments 356 294 387 043 403 668

Source: Waiting Times Data Warehouse

Comparable information by NHS board of treatment is available below:

Notes:

Additions to list: This shows the number of patients who were added to a waiting list for a new outpatient appointment during the quarter shown.

Removed from list: This shows the number of patients who were removed from a waiting list for a new outpatient appointment during the quarter shown. The categories following this total are not exhaustive, therefore the sum of the categories does not equal the total number removed from list. (Removal reasons 'Died' and 'Inappropriate referral' are not explicitly shown).

Attended: This is the number of patients who attended a new outpatient appointment and were therefore removed from the waiting list.

Referred back to GP: Under New Ways guidance, patients can be referred back to their GP for a number of reasons. These include: cancelling two previously accepted appointments; failing to attend an appointment without giving notice; failing to respond to an offer of appointment; refusing reasonable offers of appointments; continuing medical or social unavailability; or because the referral to hospital was inappropriate.

Transferred: These are patients whose management has been transferred from one waiting list and to another. This can mean, e.g., a change of specialty, location or health board. Unless these patients have been transferred outwith NHSScotland, they should also appear as an addition to the new waiting list.

Treatment no longer required: This is the number of patients who have been removed from the waiting list because they no longer require treatment.

Accepted appointments: This is the number of accepted offers for appointments in the specified quarter, regardless of when the offer was made.