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Publication of the March 2010 Northern Ireland waiting list statistics release

Thursday, 3 June 2010

The Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety today published the March 2010 Northern Ireland Waiting List Statistics Release.

The waiting list statistics release shows detailed information on the number of people waiting for a first outpatient appointment, a diagnostic test or inpatient treatment at hospitals in Northern Ireland.

Key facts and figures for NI Waiting Times at end of March 2010

Waiting Times for a First Outpatient Appointment

• The 2009/10 Ministerial target relating to outpatient waiting times states that from April 2009 no patient should wait longer than nine weeks for a first outpatient appointment.

Overall

• The total number of people waiting for a first outpatient appointment at the end of March 2010 was 86,501.
• This represented an increase of 3,931 (4.8%) on the previous quarter (end of December 2009) and an increase of 17,746 (25.8%) over the year (compared with the March 2009 quarter).

Patients waiting over nine weeks

• At the end of March 2010, there were 8,581 (9.9%) patients waiting more than nine weeks for a first outpatient appointment, of which 4,570 were waiting more than 13 weeks. The number of patients waiting longer than the maximum waiting time target represented a decrease of 7,134 on the figure for the previous quarter (15,715), but was up 8,093 on the corresponding quarter in 2009 (488).

Completed Outpatient Waits for a First Appointment (including those who failed to attend or who were deferred)

• A total of 133,165 patients attended a first outpatient appointment during the March 2010 quarter. This figure includes all activity commissioned by the Health Service in Health and Social Care hospitals and also includes outpatient activity, commissioned by the Health Service, which is undertaken by the independent sector at locations other than Health and Social Care hospitals.

Waiting Times for a Diagnostic Service

• The 2009/10 Ministerial target relating to diagnostic services states that from April 2009, no patient should wait longer than 9 weeks for one of the selected diagnostic tests (13 weeks for a day case endoscopy) and by 31st March 2010, no patient should wait longer than 9 weeks for all diagnostic tests (13 weeks for a day case endoscopy).

Overall

• The total number of patients waiting at the end of March 2010 for a diagnostic service was 48,371. Due to the nature of the 2009/10 Ministerial target, comparisons with previous quarters are not available.

Patients waiting over the target

• At the end of March 2010, there were 1,687 patients waiting over the 2009/10 waiting time target for all diagnostic services, with 232 of these patients waiting more than the 13/21 week target set for 2007/08.

Waiting Times for Inpatient Admission

• The 2009/10 Ministerial target relating to inpatient waiting times states that from April 2009 no patient should wait longer than 13 weeks for inpatient treatment.

Overall

• The total number of patients waiting for treatment at the end of March 2010 was 36,052.
• This total has decreased by 756 (2.1%) compared with the previous quarter (end of December 2009), and has increased by 3,389 (10.4%) compared with the same quarter in the previous year (end of March 2009).

Patients waiting over 13 weeks

• At the end of March 2010, there were 3,289 (9.1%) patients waiting more than 13 weeks for inpatient treatment, of which 662 were waiting more than 21 weeks. The number of patients waiting longer than the maximum waiting time target represented a decrease of 2,721 on the figure for the previous quarter (6,010), but was up 2,902 on the number waiting over 13 weeks at the end of March 2009.

Completed Inpatient Waits (including those who failed to attend or who were deferred)

• A total of 51,697 inpatients were admitted to hospital, following an inpatient wait, during the March 2010 quarter. This figure includes all activity commissioned by the Health Service in Health and Social Care hospitals and also includes inpatient activity, commissioned by the Health Service, which is undertaken by the independent sector at locations other than Health and Social Care hospitals.

Notes to editors:

1. All publications are available online.

2. About the data

• The sources for the data contained in this release are the Departmental Information Returns CH3, QOAR, SDR1, IS1, DHSSPS Inpatient Waiting Times Dataset and Hospital Inpatient System Dataset. These returns collect information from Hospital Trusts and the Health and Social Care Board on a quarterly basis.
• Figures include all privately funded patients waiting for treatment in Health Service hospitals and those patients who are resident outside Northern Ireland.
• Data include some estimates and incorporate all returns and amendments received from HSC Trusts up to 21st May 2010.

3. Outpatient definitions

• An outpatient appointment is to enable a patient to see a consultant or member of their firm.
• The waiting list figures include all outpatients who have not had their first appointments by the end of the quarter.
• Outpatient waiting list figures presented do not include maternity specialties 501 (Obstetrics), 510 (Obstetrics (Ante Natal)) and 520 (Obstetrics (Post Natal)).

4. Diagnostic Service definitions

• A diagnostic service provides an examination, test or procedure used to identify a person’s disease or condition and which allows a medical diagnosis to be made.
• The diagnostic waiting list figures presented include people waiting for a test with a diagnostic element including tests that are part diagnostic and subsequently part therapeutic. They do not include: Patients currently admitted to a hospital bed and waiting for a emergency procedure; Purely therapeutic procedures. A therapeutic procedure is defined as a procedure which involves actual treatment of a person’s disease, condition or injury. Patients undergoing a planned programme of tests. Patients waiting for procedures as part of a screening programme.

5. Inpatient definitions

• Ordinary admissions include both (a) patients admitted electively with the expectation that they will remain in hospital for at least one night, and (b) non-elective admissions (e.g. emergency admissions). A patient who is admitted with either of the above intentions, but who leaves hospital for any reason without staying overnight, is still counted as an ordinary admission. Day cases are not included.
• Day Cases are patients admitted electively during the course of a day with the intention of receiving care who do not require the use of a hospital bed overnight and who return home as scheduled. If this original intention is not fulfilled and the patient stays overnight, such a patient is counted as an ordinary admission.
• The waiting list inpatient figures presented include people waiting to be admitted as inpatients either as day cases or ordinary admissions. They do not include: Patients admitted as emergency cases; Outpatients; Patients undergoing a planned programme of treatment e.g. a series of admissions for chemotherapy; Maternity (specialties 510 and 520); Patients already in hospitals but included on other waiting lists; Patients who are temporarily suspended from waiting lists.

6. This information was collated by Hospital Information Branch, DHSSPS.

Further information is available from:

Hospital Information Branch,
Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety,
Annexe 2, Castle Buildings,
Stormont, BT4 3SQ

Telephone: 028 90 523264

E-mail:

Internet:

7. Media queries to DHSSPS Press Office on 028 9052 0074, or out of hours contact the Duty Press Officer via pager number 07699 715 440 and your call will be returned.