Treatment targets are improving
Cancer treatment times are slightly improving in NHS Forth Valley as the beleaguered health board aims to bounce back from the crisis in November which saw it put under Scottish Government measures.
Some 73 per cent of patients waited less than 62 days in March from urgent suspicion of cancer referral to first cancer treatment, an improvement from the February performance of 70.6 per cent, according to newly released figures. The 31-day target was achieved at 100 per cent.
The position for the January to March 2023 quarter is that 70.2 per cent of patients were treated within 62 days of referral with a suspicion of cancer.
This is a slight reduction from the previous quarter. During the same period, 99.3 per cent of patients were treated within 31 days of the decision to treat.
Chief Executive Cathie Cowan said: “Following a period of remobilisation, the focus remains on recovery as the board works to stabilise and improve.”
In November, Health Secretary Humza Yousaf announced that NHS Forth Valley was to be placed into Level Four of the National Performance Framework for Governance, Leadership and Culture.
It means the health board is now working under direct oversight from the Scottish Government after failing to make improvements in key areas.
According to latest figures, in Child & Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS), in April 2023, 37.5 per cent of patients started treatment within 18 weeks of referral, falling from 46 per cent in March.
The CAMHS initial assessment waiting list sat at 185 at the end of April – an improvement from 216 at the end of March.
At the end of April 2023, the number of patients on the waiting list for a first outpatient appointment increased to 19,327 from 18,887 in March, with 58.3 per cent of patients waiting less than 12 weeks for a first appointment.
New outpatient activity in April was 78 per cent with the full year position for 2022/2023 noted as 87 per cent. In April, the number of inpatients/day cases waiting increased to 4,506 from 4,372 with an increase in those waiting beyond 12 weeks.
The new outpatient did not attend (DNA) rate across acute services in April 2023 is 6.3 per cent,a slight increase from the position in March. The return outpatient DNA rate across acute services increased in April 2023 to 7 per cent from 6.3 per cent the previous month. Total staff absence for March 2023 is 8.04 per cent, a deterioration from a total of 7.69 per cent in February.
The number of bed days occupied by delayed discharges (excluding code 9 and 100) at the April 2023 census was 2,241. This is an increase from 2,067 in March the number of patients on the waiting list for a first outpatient appointment increased to 19,327 from 18,887 in March.
In all, 58.3 percent of patients were waiting less than 12 weeks for a first appointment. New outpatient activity against the agreed remobilisation plan in April was 78 per cent with the full year position for 2022/2023 noted as 87 per cent.
In April, the number of inpatients/ daycases waiting increased to 4,506 from 4,372 with an increase in those waiting beyond 12 weeks. Inpatient/day case activity against the agreed remobilisation plan trajectory in April was 85 per cent with the full year position for 2022/2023 81 per cent.
In Psychological Therapies In March 2023, 74 per cent of patients started treatment within 18 weeks of referral.
This is a reduction from the previous month position of 78.2 per cent, however an increase from 662 per cent in April 2022.
The number of patients on the waiting list for a first outpatient appointment increased to 19,327 from 18,887 in March. 58.3 per cent of patients were waiting less than 12 weeks for a first appointment.
Some 224 patients were waiting longer than six weeks for an endoscopy with 62.9 per cent of patients waiting less than the standard. Activity against the agreed remobilisation plan in April was 85 per cent and 127 per cent respectively.