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1240/5(7495)
WRITTEN QUESTION TO THE MINISTER FOR HEALTH AND SOCIAL SERVICES BY THE DEPUTY OF ST. PETER
ANSWER TO BE TABLED ON TUESDAY 5th MARCH 2013
Question
Further to the response given on 11th December 2012, could the Minister advise of the current length of waiting lists to see hospital consultants, include preliminary lists to get on to waiting lists?
Answer
As explained in the answer to Question 7409 on 19 February 2013, there is a single waiting list per consultant/speciality. There is no separate "preliminary" waiting list with different waiting times attached to it. The waiting time clock starts from the date of receipt of GP's referral, regardless of whether or not the patient is sent an appointment immediately.
Regrettably, due to operational pressures, HSSD has not been able to verify waiting time information across all medical and surgical specialities within the timeframe for submitting answers to written questions.
As set out in the answer to previous questions HSSD is committed to reducing waiting times and is therefore undertaking a root and branch' review of waiting list management across all specialities. This will include verification of all waiting times in a manner which is more meaningful to patients (ie. will enable HSSD to provide patients with a more accurate estimate of when their appointment will be, as opposed to a statement related to how long other patients have waited).
As part of this process, HSSD will provide updated information to the Assembly about waiting times across all specialities, and about the scope of the review, at the end of March.