Question reference: S6W-04236
- Asked by: Donald Cameron, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
- Date lodged: 8 November 2021
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Current status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 17 November 2021
Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many patients waited longer than the period specified in the referral to treatment time guarantee to receive orthopaedic treatment in NHS Highland in each year since 2007, and what the reasons for delays in treatment were.
Answer
The following table sets out the total number of patients seen and the number that waited over 18 weeks for orthopaedic treatment in NHS Highland, from January 2012 to June 2021 – the latest data available. This includes all patients reported as seen on the 18-week Referral to Treatment (RTT) pathway for orthopaedics, including those patients who did not require to be admitted for treatment. For example, some patients may not have required treatment depending on the outcome of an outpatient consultation or diagnostic test.
Please note, due to the complexities of 18-week RTT local data collection and reporting, the length of wait cannot be accurately measured by the Board of treatment for all patients. The impact of which for orthopaedics in NHS Highland is reflected in the number of unknown waits reported below. The data should therefore be treated with caution.
Table: Total patients seen and number of patients that waited against the RTT Standard, January 2012 – June 2021, NHS Highland, Orthopaedics
Year | Total Patients Seen | Number of patients seen waiting <= 18 weeks | Number of patients seen waiting >18 weeks | Unknown Waits |
2012 | 14940 | 7758 | 966 | 6216 |
2013 | 12912 | 8016 | 1237 | 3659 |
2014 | 11679 | 5551 | 2710 | 3418 |
2015 | 10101 | 3750 | 3343 | 3008 |
2016 | 10032 | 3469 | 3696 | 2867 |
2017 | 9007 | 3042 | 3757 | 2208 |
2018 | 9499 | 4283 | 2718 | 2498 |
2019 | 9046 | 3627 | 2649 | 2770 |
2020 | 5996 | 1762 | 2126 | 2108 |
2021* | 3144 | 962 | 781 | 1401 |
Source: PHS 18 Weeks RTT Database
*This year covers the period between 1 st January 2012 - 30 th June 2021.
There are a number of reasons why the RTT standard has not been met in recent years. Prior to the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, good progress was being made under the Waiting Times Improvement Plan, in reducing the numbers waiting for treatment. However, the pandemic has restricted Health Boards’ ability to make progress against the backlog of care that built up before the pandemic and has been compounded by the significant challenges Health Boards are continuing to tackle at the current time.