NHS Scotland waiting times guidance - November 2023: equality impact assessment
Equality impact assessment (EQIA) of the Waiting Times Guidance: November 2023, considering both positive and negative impacts to patients across NHS Scotland waiting on a new outpatient appointment, diagnostic test or inpatient/ day care treatment.
Annex 1 – Definitions
Active Clinical Referral Triage
Active Clinical Referral Triage (ACRT) aims to ensure that all referrals to secondary care are triaged by a senior clinical healthcare professional to ensure that patients are allocated to the most appropriate pathway to meet their individual needs.
This can include providing patients with information regarding their condition and potential treatment options, supporting informed decision making and ownership of care for patients accessing services, known more commonly as “Opt In”.
Other potential options include attending a virtual clinic through technology enabled care, ordering relevant investigations prior to review, appointment to waiting lists for procedures to be carried out and attendance at clinics to discuss the various treatments options with an appropriate healthcare professional in an out-patient setting.
Click here to find out more about Active Clinical Referral Triage.
Patient Initiated Review
Patient Initiated Review (PIR) aims to reduce the “routine” follow-up of patients. Examples for symptomatic breast services includes follow-up mammograms following treatment for breast cancer and patients being informed of results without having to attend an out-patient clinic (where appropriate).
PIR has been embedded in delivery of symptomatic breast services over the past few years and will continue to be the model for service delivery going forward.
Contact
Email: waitingtimespolicy@gov.scot