Press Release

Thursday 27th November 2003 (0930h)

Acute Activity, Waiting Times and Waiting Lists information updated on Scottish Health on the Web (SHOW).

The Information and Statistics Division (ISD Scotland) of NHSScotland, today updated these web pages, accessible via:

http://www.isdscotland.org/acute_activity

Key points:

Acute Hospital Activity

• Hospitals reported that 304,727 new patients were seen at consultant led outpatient clinics during quarter end 30 September 2003, 1 per cent fewer than seen in the previous quarter but generally consistent with recent trends.
• In the latest quarter, the volume of hospital inpatients treated both as emergencies (120,169) and electively, i.e., planned (52,883), is up approximately 0.5% on the previous quarter and 1.7% higher than the same quarter last year. The number of patients treated as day cases, at 89,027, was 1% higher than in the previous quarter and slightly higher (0.4%) than for the same period last year. Overall the volume of inpatients and day cases combined has been consistent quarter on quarter over the past year.

Acute (all specialties) Hospital Waiting Times

Note: Because of a shortfall in the data submitted by some trusts during this latest quarter, some caution is advised in the use of the waiting times statistics shown, as these may change as more complete data become available.

• The provisional figures on waiting times for first consultant outpatient appointments indicate that in quarter ending September 2003 half of patients (the median) waited 54 days from the date of referral by their family doctor or dentist. Although 4 days longer than in the previous quarter the median is 4 days shorter than the same quarter last year.
• The provisional figures indicate that over two thirds (67.8 per cent) of new outpatients were seen within 13 weeks in quarter ending September 2003. Conversely, 12.4 per cent had waited more than 26 weeks to be seen. The percentages for the same quarter last year were 66.1% and 12.0% respectively.
• For inpatients and day cases, provisional figures for the quarter ending September 2003 show that the median length of wait from the date the patient was placed on the waiting list until the date admitted for treatment was 40 days, 2 days longer than the previous quarter. Note that the median quoted for quarter end June 2003 in the previous release has been revised upwards by two days following receipt of more complete data from hospitals.
• At the end of September 2003 no patient waiting for inpatient or day case treatment, and holding a guarantee, had been waiting longer than the existing standard of 12 months.
• The number reported waiting on the new single waiting list, at 110,661, is slightly lower than in the previous quarter (112,182). The Audit Scotland report on waiting lists published last year asked hospitals to ensure that all patients waiting were recorded on waiting list information. ISD Scotland continue to work with NHSScotland to improve reporting.

Waiting times for coronary heart disease (CHD) patients

• Of the 1,077 patients on a waiting list for a coronary angiography investigation at 30 September 2003, 4 had waited longer than the existing standard of 12 weeks wait maximum. Of the 930 patients waiting for a coronary revascularisation procedure (coronary artery bypass graft or an angioplasty procedure to clear the patient’s blocked arteries) no patients had been waiting longer than the existing standard of 24 weeks after an angiography.

Background

1. All figures shown on these web pages are provisional and will be updated in future quarterly releases (especially those for latest quarter). Unless otherwise stated, the figures refer to activity in the acute sector only.  Full details of definitions used throughout this release are contained in the glossary on the web pages at:
   
   http://www.isdscotland.org/acute_activity_glossary
   
2. Important changes have been made to the recording of waiting list information in Scotland. A formal National Statistics Notification of these changes and their likely impact on waiting list statistics is available at the following web address:
   
   http://www.isdscotland.org/acute_activity_notification
   
3. The outpatient figures referred to above are patients/appointments at Consultant-led clinics.  ISD Scotland have set up a project to look at activity which is known to be undertaken in other healthcare settings and may not be included in the statistics referred to above, e.g. nurse only outpatient clinics.
4. This is an ISD Scotland 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.
5. ISD Scotland collects, collates and maintains 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, ISD Scotland contributes to health improvement by informing decision making, research and debate within the NHSScotland, government departments and other organisations. Information and Statistics Division (ISD Scotland) is part of the Common Services Agency for NHSScotland. For more information about ISD Scotland see the ISD Scotland website: http://www.isdscotland.org/isd/

For further information contact:

Main contact: Stephen Goold

 Printer friendly version