Pain of living in our Ayrshire
Health chief issues grovelling apology
Our health board performance has been branded “shocking” after six percent of people suffering chronic pain were seen within the 18- week target.
Neighbouring NHS Lanarkshire saw the complete 100 per cent of people within its pain clinics within the target period.
The Scottish Information Services Division of the NHS has just released the data from the three months to December.
In Ayrshire and Arran, 221 people waited beyond 18 weeks for a first appointment at a pain clinic or service, with only 14 being dealt with on time.
Across Scotland, there was a 72.3 per cent compliance rate with the 18- week target.
The Borders, Fife, Lanarkshire, Lothian, Orkney and Shetland all saw 100% of sufferers.
Ayr MP John Scott is to raise the hopeless performance at the “highest level.”
He said: “While patients in Ayrshire understand the difficulties in recruitng staff, these figures are the worst of any health board in Scotland.
“It is nothing short of scandalous only 6% of people are seen within the government waiting time target.
“While I expect efforts will now be made to resolve this problem, too many people have had to suffer for too long in Ayrshire and I’ll be rasing this matter at the highest leve in the very near fture.”
NHS director Liz Moore, apologised “sincerely” to patients.
She said: “We have undertaken a number of measures to alleviate waiting times for our patients: We arranged for an associate specialist to receive training in the pain management speciality. They completed this and have started their clinical work.
“A consultant anaesthetist is also completing the pain management speciality training and is expected to begin clinical work in August 2018.
“We have introduced a patient-focussed booking system and reviewed clinic templates, which has reduced waiting times.
“In this week in March 2017 there were 512 patients waiting more than 12 weeks for their first outpatient appointment. Currently we have 185 patients waiting more than 12 weeks, while we accept this is not ideal, we anticipate this will continue to improve.”