AQW 3992/16-21


Mr Stewart Dickson
Alliance Party
East Antrim


Tabled Date: 26/09/2016
Answered On Date: 30/09/2016
Priority Written: No


Question:
To ask the Minister of Health to detail the 2016 targets to reduce patient waiting times in the Northern Health and Social Care Trust.


Answer:
The excessive waiting times across the HSC are due to demand for elective procedures exceeding available capacity caused by a number of factors including funding pressures. Within this context the performance targets detailed at Annex A are designed to ensure that the HSC, including the Northern Trust, operates as efficiently as possible within the resources available to my Department.
I have stated on many occasions that long waiting times for treatment are unacceptable to me, and addressing this issue is a priority for me. I am looking forward to setting out my vision for Health and Social care in the coming weeks which will include a strategy for addressing waiting times in the long term.
Annex A - Commissioning Plan Targets relating to reducing patient waiting times
From April 2016, 95% of patients attending any Type 1, 2 or 3 emergency department are either treated and discharged home, or admitted, within four hours of their arrival in the department; and no patient attending any emergency department should wait longer than 12 hours.
By March 2017, at least 80% of patients to have commenced treatment, following triage, within 2 hours.
From April 2016, 95% of patients, where clinically appropriate, wait no longer than 48 hours for inpatient treatment for hip fractures.
By March 2017, 50% of patients should wait no longer than 9 weeks for an outpatient appointment and no patient waits longer than 52 weeks.
By March 2017, 75% of patients should wait no longer than 9 weeks for a diagnostic test and no patient waits longer than 26 weeks.
By March 2017, 55% of patients should wait no longer than 13 weeks for inpatient/daycase treatment and no patient waits longer than 52 weeks.
From April 2016, all urgent breast cancer referrals should be seen within 14 days; at least 98% of patients diagnosed with cancer should receive their first definitive treatment within 31 days of a decision to treat; at least 95% of patients urgently referred with a suspected cancer should begin their first definitive treatment within 62 days.
From April 2016, no patient waits longer than: nine weeks to access child and adolescent mental health services; nine weeks to access adult mental health services; nine weeks to access dementia services; and 13 weeks to psychological services (any age).
By March 2017, no patient should wait longer than 13 weeks from referral to commencement of treatment by an allied health professional.
By March 2017, reduce by 20% the number of hospital-cancelled consultant-led outpatient appointments.
From April 2016, ensure that 90% of complex discharges from an acute hospital take place within 48 hour with no complex discharge taking more than seven day, and all non complex discharges from an acute hospital take place within six hours.