Waiting time targets missed

Fife’s health service is in talks with the Scottish Government in a bid to cut the number of people waiting too long for treatment.

While waiting times have improved slightly this year, in April almost 20% of patients did not receive treatment within 12 weeks of it being agreed.

In Scotland, all eligible patients are supposed to receive inpatient or day-case treatment within the target time.

NHS Fife said the guarantee had been breached 243 times in April, including 67 in trauma and orthopaedics, 44 in urology and 35 in ear, nose and throat.

Breaches were also recorded in general surgery (33) and gynaecology (21).

A report to the NHS Fife board said there had been some cancellations due to unscheduled care pressures.

Efforts are ongoing to reschedule appointments, but finding staffing theatres to accommodate the extra work will be a challenge.

The report said: “A recovery plan has been developed for 2018- 19 with the focus being on reducing the number of patients waiting more than 26 weeks for treatment.

“This includes a plan to outsource activity and discussions are live with the Scottish Government in order to secure the resources to deliver this.”

NHS Fife’s performance in meeting diagnostics waiting times has also improved, with fewer than 7% of patients waiting more than six weeks for tests.