Over 200,000 Waiting More Than Nine Weeks For First Hospital Appointment

As of the end of June 2018, more than 200,000 patients (73.2%) were waiting more than nine weeks for a first consultant-led outpatient appointment, according to the latest quarterly Northern Ireland Waiting Times Statistics.

The statistics have been published today by the Department of Health.

The Waiting Times Statistics show detailed information on the number of people waiting for a first consultant-led outpatient appointment, a diagnostic test and inpatient or day case treatment at hospitals in Northern Ireland.

The figures show a Ministerial target for 2018/19, that at least 50% of patients should wait no longer than nine weeks for a first outpatient appointment and with no patient waiting longer than 52 weeks.

Key findings include:

• At 30 June 2018, a total of 275,884 patients were waiting for a first consultant-led outpatient appointment, 2.2% (6,050) more than at 31 March 2018 (269,834) and 4.3% (11,433) more than at 30 June 2017 (264,451).

• Almost three quarters (73.2%, 202,081) of patients were waiting more than nine weeks for a first consultant-led outpatient appointment at 30 June 2018, compared with 73.5% (198,296) at 31 March 2018 and 71.6% (189,289) at 30 June 2017.

• At 30 June 2018, 32.1% (88,598) of patients were waiting more than 52 weeks for a first consultant-led outpatient appointment, compared with 30.9% (83,392) at 31 March 2018, and 24.2% (64,074) at 30 June 2017.

• During the quarter ending June 2018, there were 124,103 attendances for a first outpatient appointment, an increase of 0.7% (808) on the number seen during the quarter ending March 2018 (123,295), and 5.5% (6,447) more than during the quarter ending June 2017 (117,656).

Looking at waiting times for inpatient and day case admission, the report found that as of 30 June 2018, a total of 83,746 patients were waiting for admission to hospital, 3.9% (3,176) more than at 31 March 2018 (80,570) and 15.5% (11,266) more than at 30 June 2017 (72,480).

Other key findings include:

• At 30 June 2018, 63.1% (52,872) of patients were waiting more than 13 weeks for either inpatient or day case admission, compared with 62.3% (50,228) at 31 March 2018 and 59.0% (42,732) at 30 June 2017.

• At 30 June 2018, 21.6% (18,080) of patients were waiting more than 52 weeks for either an inpatient or day case admission, compared with 20.4% (16,454) at 31 March 2018, and 15.5% (11,261) at 30 June 2017.

• During the quarter ending June 2018, 45,764 patients received inpatient and day case treatment, 3.1% (1,384) more than the quarter ending March 2018 (44,380), and 1.1% (519) more than during the quarter ending June 2017 (45,245).

The 2018/19 Ministerial target for inpatient and day case waiting times, states that by March 2019, 55% of patients should wait no longer than 13 weeks for inpatient or day case treatment, with no patient waiting longer than 52 weeks.

The report also examined waiting times for a diagnostic service:

• At 30 June 2018, 122,184 patients were waiting for a diagnostic service, 12.1% (13,168) more than at 31 March 2018 (109,016) and 8.6% (9,704) more than at 30 June 2017 (112,480).

• Over two fifths (46.3%, 56,572) of patients were waiting longer than nine weeks for a diagnostic test at 30 June 2018, compared to 42.1% (45,852) at 31 March 2018 and 44.1% (49,602) at 30 June 2017.

• At 30 June 2018, 18.2% (22,216) of patients were waiting more than 26 weeks for a diagnostic test compared with 17.1% (18,598) at 31 March 2018 and 12.1% (13,593) at 30 June 2017.

Diagnostic Reporting Turnaround Times:

• The draft 2018/19 Ministerial target for diagnostic reporting times states that, by March 2019, all urgent diagnostic tests should be reported on within two days of the test being undertaken.

• A total of 426,992 diagnostic tests were reported on and dispatched to the referring clinician at hospitals in Northern Ireland during the quarter ending June 2018, 2.9% (12,001) more than the quarter ending March 2018 (414,991), and 5.7% (23,171) more than the quarter ending June 2017 (403,821).

• Of the 54,869 urgent diagnostic tests reported on during the quarter ending June 2018, 85.0% (46,621) were reported on within two days. 

• The South Eastern HSC Trust reported the highest proportion of urgent tests within two days (92.0%), with the other HSC Trusts reporting between 80.2% and 89.9% of urgent tests within two days.

(MH/CM)