The waiting time is defined as the difference in days from the date the decision was made that the patient should be admitted (the "waiting list date") to the actual date of admission.Acute medical specialties have been defined as cardiology, clinical chemistry, clinical genetics, communicable diseases, dermatology, endocrinology and diabetes, gastroenterology, general medicine, genito-urinary medicine, haematology, homoeopathy, medical oncology, medical paediatrics, nephrology, neurology, occupational health, palliative medicine, rehabilitation medicine, respiratory medicine and rheumatology.Data for Glasgow Dental Hospital and School have been excluded due to system errors in the derivation of waiting times.