05 June 2008 - Publication of the March 2008 Northern Ireland waiting list statistics release

The Waiting List Statistics Release shows detailed information on the number of people waiting for inpatient treatment, a first outpatient appointment, or a diagnostic test at hospitals in Northern Ireland.

Key facts and figures for NI Waiting Times at end of March 2008:

Waiting Times for Inpatient Admission

Overall

• The total number of patients waiting for treatment at the end of March 2008 was 36,994.
• This total has decreased by 1,040 (-2.7 %) compared with the previous quarter (end of December 2007).

Patients waiting over 21 weeks

• At the end of March 2008, there were 56 (0.2%) patients waiting more than 21 weeks for Inpatient treatment, 48 (0.1%) of whom had been waiting more than 26 weeks.

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

• A total of 47,873 inpatients were admitted to hospital during the March 2008 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.

Waiting Times for a First Outpatient Appointment

Overall

• The total number of people waiting for a first outpatient appointment at the end of March 2008 was 72,957.
• This represented a fall of 672 (-0.9%) on the previous quarter (end of December 2007) and has decreased by 29,664 (-28.9%) over the year (compared with the March 2007 quarter).

Patients waiting over 13 weeks

• The number of patients waiting over 13 weeks for a first outpatient appointment at the end of March 2008 stood at 59 (0.1% of the total waiting).

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

• A total of 115,839 patients attended a first outpatient appointment during the March 2008 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 2007/08 Ministerial target relating to diagnostic services states that by 31st March, no patient should be waiting longer than 13 weeks for any of the 16 selected diagnostic services (with patients waiting no longer than 21 weeks for a daycase endoscopy). The 16 selected diagnostic services are Magnetic Resonance Imaging; Computerised Tomography; Non-Obstetric Ultrasound; Barium Studies; DEXA Scan; Radio Nuclide Imaging; Pure Tone Audiometry; Echocardiography; Perfusion Studies; Peripheral Neurophysiology; Sleep Studies; Urodynamics Pressures & Flows; Colonoscopy; Cystoscopy; Flexi Sigmoidoscopy and Gastroscopy.

Overall

• The total number of patients waiting at the end of March 2008 for any of 16 selected diagnostic services was 31,308, a decrease of 1,275 (-3.9%) on the position at 31 December 2007.

Patients waiting over 13 weeks

• At the end of March 2008, there were no patients waiting more than 13 weeks for any of the selected diagnostic services.

Patients waiting over 21 weeks for day case endoscopies

• At the end of March 2008, there were no patients waiting more than 21 weeks for a day case endoscopy.

Notes to Editors:

1. All publications are available on line at the Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety website

2. About the data

• The sources for the data contained in this release are the DHSSPS Inpatient Waiting Times Dataset, Departmental Information Returns CH2, CH3, CH4 and SDR1. These returns collect information from Hospital Trusts 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 and Boards up to 27th May 2008.

3. 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.

4. 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 510 (Obstetrics (Ante Natal)) and 520 (Obstetrics (Post Natal)).

5. 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.

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

Further information is available from:

Internet: Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety website

7. Media queries to DHSSPS Information Office on 028 9052 0074, or out of hours contact the Duty Press Officer via pager number 076 9971 5440 and your call will be returned.