Minister to step in after urology waits
Health minister Jeane Freeman will investigate complaints from NHS Tayside urology patients, some of whom have been forced to wait almost two years for an appointments.
We reported earlier this year that the latest waiting time figures, released in January, show urology inpatients are being told they will have to wait up to 97 weeks to be seen.
We also reported the average waiting time for a urology outpatient was 60 weeks.
Some patients were even being referred to “independent providers” by the health board because of the excessive waiting times.
The 97-week wait for urology as of the end of November 2019 is also up from 81 weeks in October and 77.3 weeks in May last year.
The waiting time target for both inpatients and outpatients is just 12 weeks.
This is despite a new urology treatment centre opening at Perth Royal Infirmary last summer, which is designed to be a ‘one stop shop’ for patients.
Mid Scotland and Fife MSP Murdo Fraser revealed two constituents contacted him, saying they face a wait of 60 weeks to see an NHS Tayside urology specialist.
Mr Fraser raised the issue with Jeane Freeman at the Scottish Parliament last week and welcomed her assurance that she will look into the worrying urology waiting time backlog.
Commenting, Mr Fraser said: “The health minister told me the average waiting time for [new] urology outpatient appointment was 32 days at NHS Tayside but I have been told by two separate constituents in the past few weeks who were told they would have to wait 60 weeks to see a specialist urologist in NHS Tayside, which is frankly ridiculous.
“For people who are having to deal with a painful and sometimes distressing condition, a wait of a year and two months is too long and totally unacceptable.
“I asked the health minister if she could address this problem with NHS Tayside and was pleased to hear she would look into each respective constituent case I have.
“It is not good enough having people waiting for these length of times – it caused them unnecessary anxiety.
“Hopefully this matter will now be properly addressed with the help of the health minister.”
A spokesperson for NHS Tayside said: “We recognise that routine waiting times in our urology service are longer than we would wish and we understand that this can be upsetting for patients and their families.”
The spokesperson added there had been complex service challenges, including staffing vacancies and unplanned staff absence, and added the situation has improved and those people waiting for more than 52 weeks have secured their appointments.
They concluded the opening of the new Tayside Urology Treatment Centre in Perth Royal Infirmary had helped reduce average waiting times for routine appointments from 22 to 15 weeks.