Chamber and committees

There were no patients with a guarantee waiting longer than 18 weeks for in-patient or day case treatment on the census dates of 31 October 2007, 30 November 2007 and 31 December 2007.

Unlike the previous system where patients who had an availability status code applied could have exceedingly long waits - in some cases of over 12 months - all patients are now covered by the maximum waiting time standard under the new ways of defining and measuring waiting times which came into effect on  1 January 2008. Patients who held an availability status code on 31 December 2007 will be treated in hospital within 18 weeks from 1 January 2008, provided they are available. If they are unavailable, their case will be reviewed regularly until they can be treated or until a decision is made to return them to the care of their GP.

The 18 weeks maximum waiting time guarantee for inpatient and day case treatment applies from 31 December 2007. Information published by ISD Scotland on 26 February 2008 shows that NHSScotland delivered the guarantee.

Information is not available centrally. New ways of defining and measuring waiting times came into effect on 1 January 2008. I have made clear that this system will be open and transparent and much more information will be published. It is planned to publish the number of patients referred back to the care of their GP, along with other information not previously available. Information under new ways will be published for the first time at the end of May 2008 covering the three months to 31 March 2008.

As I have made clear, hospitals must follow published guidance when deciding whether a patient should be removed from a waiting list, whether for specialist services or for any other treatment.

The session conditions aim to be conducive in meeting the donor selection guidelines, to ensure the safety of the blood supply. The Scottish National Blood Transfusion Service seeks to ensure, as far as it can, confidentiality for all donors.

The blood donation guidelines are reviewed on a regular basis at a UK level through the UK Advisory Committee for the Safety of Blood, Tissues and Organs and the Joint Professional Advisory Committee for the four UK Blood Transfusion Services, based on the latest epidemiological information from the Health Protection Agency, Health Protection Scotland and other experts in this field. cases

This information is not held centrally. The Wheelchair and Seating Services Project Board and Project Manager will look at the way in which wheelchair waiting times information is gathered throughout Scotland, and will work with the service managers to introduce a unified approach to the collection of meaningful and transparent data.

I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-9449 on 26 February 2008. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament''s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.

Health ministers throughout the UK are advised on these matters by the Advisory Committee for the Safety of Blood, Tissues and Organs.

As the member knows, a situation was recently brought to my attention in NHS Tayside where a small number of patients had been removed from a hospital waiting list for reasons not provided for in the published guidance. However, this was not related to the 18-week target. I took action at once to ensure that the patients in question were reinstated on the waiting list and the patients were informed. All NHS boards have provided assurances that any removal of patients from the waiting list is being carried out in line with published guidance. I have re-emphasised the importance of boards adhering to the guidance at all times.

Information is not available centrally.

New ways of defining and measuring waiting times came into effect on 1 January 2008. I have made clear that this system will be open and transparent and much more information will be published. It is planned to publish the number of patients referred back to the care of their GP, along with other information not previously available. Information under New Ways will be published for the first time at the end of May 2008 covering the three months to 31 March 2008.

The latest available guidance on new ways of defining and measuring waiting was issued to NHSScotland in December 2007. This can be accessed at:

http://www.isdscotland.org/isd/files/New-Ways-Applying-Guidance-V3.pdf.