Long waits for planned care: FOI release

Information requested

From 1 April 2022 to present, I am looking for all written communication, including associated briefings, relating to the Scottish Government's announcement on 6 July 2022 to tackle long waits for planned care.

In particular, I am requesting the papers outlining: 

• how the targets were set, and how they were intended to be met; and
• any subsequent analysis as to why they have not been met to date.

Response

For the first part of your request, “From 1 April 2022 to present all written communication, including associated briefings related to the Scottish Government’s announcement on 6 July 2022, to tackle long waits for planned care”, while our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance the costs of locating, retrieving and providing the information requested would exceed the upper cost limit of £600. The reason for this is that the volume of information which potentially falls within scope means that the time taken to prepare the information for release, including making necessary redactions, would exceed the cost limit. Under section 12 of FOISA public authorities are not required to comply with a request for information if the authority estimates that the cost of complying would exceed the upper cost limit, which is currently set at £600 by Regulations made under section 12.

You may, however, wish to consider reducing the scope of your request in order that the costs can be brought below £600. You may find it helpful to look at the Scottish Information Commissioner's 'Tips for requesting information under FOI and the EIRs' on his website at: http://www.itspublicknowledge.info/YourRights/Tipsforrequesters.aspx.

For the second part of your request, requesting papers outlining how the targets were set and how they were intended to be met, I enclose a copy of some of the information you requested. Some of the information you have requested is available from websites the links to which are annotated in the enclosure. Under section 25(1) of FOISA, we do not have to give you information which is already reasonably accessible to you. If, however, you do not have internet access to obtain this information from the websites listed, then please contact me again and I will send you a paper copy. Also, while our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance we are unable to provide some of the information you have requested because an exemption under section 30(b)(i) (free and frank provision of advice or exchange of views) applies to that information. The reason why this exemption applies is explained in the Annex to this letter.

For the third part of your request, requesting papers outlining any subsequent analysis as to why the targets have not been met to date, while our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance the Scottish Government does not have the information you have requested. The reasons why we don’t have the information are explained in the Annex to this letter. However, in case it should be helpful, I have provided information below which relates to your request.

The National Waiting Times Targets set out in July 2022 included the aim to eliminate:

• 24 month waits for outpatients in most specialities by end of Aug 2022
• 18 month waits for outpatients in most specialities by end of Dec 2022
• 12 month waits for outpatients in most specialities by end of Mar 2023
• 24 month waits for inpatient/DC in majority of specialities by Sep 2022
• 18 month waits for inpatient/DC in majority of specialities by Sep 2023
• 12 month for inpatient/DC in the majority of specialities by Sep 2024

Public Health Scotland data published on 30 May 2023, for data up to 31 March 2023 confirmed that in relation to the 2 year outpatient target, that 33 out of the 41 specialities have fewer than 10 waits over 2 years, while 20 have none. In relation to the 2 year inpatient/daycase target, 18 out of the 30 specialties have fewer than 10 patients waiting more than 2 years, and 13 have no waits over 2 years. In relation to the 18 month outpatient target, the numbers waiting over 18 months have reduced by 48.5% at 31 March 2023 compared to 30 June 2022, and the 12 month outpatient target shows 41% specialties had fewer than 10 patients waiting over 52 weeks.

Since the introduction of the targets, we have seen real progress with the highest number of outpatients and inpatients/daycase seen since before the pandemic. However, addressing the ongoing effects of the pandemic, winter pressures and staffing capacity has inevitably disrupted the NHS’s ability to carry out routine procedures, meaning longer waits for some patients.

We recognise that challenges remain and there are still unacceptable waits in some specialities, but we are determined to provide the support necessary to drive improvements in these specialities. We are committed to working with NHS Boards to deliver our ambition to protect, stabilise and recover planned care. This includes maximising theatre productivity, optimising Golden Jubilee National Hospital capacity, and regional working.

About FOI

The Scottish Government is committed to publishing all information released in response to Freedom of Information requests. View all FOI responses at http://www.gov.scot/foi-responses.

FOI - 202300359555 - Annex

File type

1 page PDF

File size

87.7 kB

FOI - 202300359555 - Information release

File type

8 page PDF

File size

196.3 kB