PLANNED HOSPITAL CARE

It is difficult to compare the four different countries’ services across planned operations, as they differ goals and ways of measuring them. In England and Scotland patients have 18 weeks from a GP referral to their first treatment, while in Wales it is 26 weeks. The figures for Northern Ireland don’t measure from referral, but instead from the date the treatment was decided on - meaning that they’re not strictly comparable. However, we can compare how close each country is to its target - currently none of them are meeting it, with Northern Ireland again the furthest away.