STATISTICAL PRESS NOTICE NHS REFERRAL TO TREATMENT (RTT) WAITING TIMES DATA MAY 2011

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1 STATISTICAL PRESS NOTICE NHS REFERRAL TO TREATMENT (RTT) WAITING TIMES DATA MAY 2011 Main Points Data are published on consultant-led Referral to Treatment (RTT) waiting times for patients who were treated during May In total, 298,695 admitted patients and 876,003 non-admitted patients, for whom English commissioners are responsible, their RTT pathway during May At national level, 90.8% of admitted patients (measured on an adjusted basis) and 97.7% of non-admitted patients their RTT pathway within a maximum of 18 weeks. The time waited for patients completing an RTT pathway in May 2011 was 23.6 weeks for admitted patients and 15.2 weeks for non-admitted patients. (See Statistical Note number 6) The average (median) time waited for patients completing an RTT pathway in May 2011 was 8.4 weeks for admitted patients and 4.4 weeks for non-admitted patients. For patients still waiting for treatment (incomplete pathways) at the end of May 2011, the median waiting time was 6.1 weeks and the was 23.9 weeks. St George s Healthcare NHS Trust and Kingston Hospital NHS Trust did not submit any incomplete RTT pathway data for May Tables 1 and 2 show average (median) waiting times, waiting times and the percentage of patients whose RTT pathway was within 18 weeks by treatment function. Table 3 shows RTT waiting time trends from March 2007 to May 2011 for and incomplete pathways. Detailed tables by provider and commissioner can be found via the following link: stics/referraltotreatmentstatistics/index.htm

2 Annex A Detailed Tables RESTRICTED STATISTICS Table 1 Admitted RTT waiting times by treatment function (commissioner based) May 2011 Reported no. of admitted pathways Reported no. of admitted pathways (with a known referral date) Average (median) waiting time (in weeks) waiting time (in weeks) % of admitted pathways within 18 weeks Treatment function General Surgery 42,162 42, % Urology 20,321 20, % Trauma & 55,593 55, % Orthopaedics ENT 16,886 16, % Ophthalmology 38,098 38, % Oral Surgery 16,778 16, % Neurosurgery 2,412 2, % Plastic Surgery 11,181 11, % Cardiothoracic 2,044 2, % Surgery General Medicine 5,461 5, % Gastroenterology 10,092 10, % Cardiology 9,081 9, % Dermatology 6,416 6, % Thoracic Medicine 1,522 1, % Neurology % Rheumatology 1,691 1, % Geriatric Medicine % Gynaecology 26,983 26, % Other 30,770 30, % Total 298, , %

3 Table 2 Non-Admitted RTT waiting times by treatment function (commissioner based) May 2011 Reported no. of non-admitted pathways Reported no. of non-admitted pathways (with a known referral date) Average (median) waiting time (in weeks) waiting time (in weeks) % of non-admitted pathways within 18 weeks Treatment function General Surgery 60,016 60, % Urology 24,982 24, % Trauma & 82,713 82, % Orthopaedics ENT 62,398 62, % Ophthalmology 82,813 82, % Oral Surgery 31,435 31, % Neurosurgery 4,123 4, % Plastic Surgery 9,714 9, % Cardiothoracic % Surgery General Medicine 24,896 24, % Gastroenterology 20,699 20, % Cardiology 35,610 35, % Dermatology 58,108 58, % Thoracic Medicine 17,375 17, % Neurology 23,001 22, % Rheumatology 18,614 18, % Geriatric Medicine 10,649 10, % Gynaecology 59,748 59, % Other 248, , % Total 876, , %

4 Table 3 RTT waiting times - March 2007 to May 2011 Admitted patients Non-Admitted patients Incomplete patients % % within within Month Median wait (weeks) (weeks) 4 weeks Median wait (weeks) (weeks) 4 weeks Median wait (weeks) (weeks) 4 March % % within 18 weeks August % % % March % % % March % % % March % % % April % % % May % % % June % % % July % % % August % % % September % % % October % % % November % % % December % % % January % % % February % % % March % % % April % % % May % % % 1. Admitted (unadjusted) RTT data were first published in March Non-admitted and Incomplete RTT data were first published in August Admitted RTT data on an adjusted basis (excluding periods of delay introduced as a result of patients turning down offers of admissions made with reasonable notice) were first published in March Where the 95 th falls in the over 52 weeks timeband, it is not possible to calculate a figure. Hence, such figures are shown as 52+ weeks.

5 Notes to Editors For admitted patients, adjusted data (allowing for legitimate pauses of the RTT clock) is used to measure waiting times. Statistical Notes 1. National Statistics The United Kingdom Statistics Authority has designated these statistics as National Statistics, in accordance with the Statistics and Registration Service Act 2007 and signifying compliance with the Code of Practice for Official Statistics. Designation can be broadly interpreted to mean that the statistics: meet identified user needs; are well explained and readily accessible; are produced according to sound methods, and are managed impartially and objectively in the public interest. Once statistics have been designated as National Statistics it is a statutory requirement that the Code of Practice shall continue to be observed. 2. Clock Stops The following activities end the Referral to Treatment (RTT) period and lead to the RTT clock being stopped: - first treatment - the start of the first treatment that is intended to manage a patient's disease, condition or injury in a RTT period - start of active monitoring initiated by the patient - start of active monitoring initiated by the care professional - decision not to treat - decision not to treat made or no further contact required - patient declined offered treatment - patient died before treatment 3. Referral to Treatment (RTT) waiting times RTT data is collected from NHS providers (NHS Trusts and other providers) and signed off by commissioners (Primary Care Trusts). The RTT data measures referral to treatment (RTT) waiting times in weeks, split by treatment function. The length of the RTT period is reported for patients whose RTT clock stopped during the month. The Department of Health published the RTT Rules Suite on 28 November These documents were updated in June 2010 and can be found at: s/referraltotreatmentstatistics/dh_089757

6 The rules for the data collection are based on those set out in the rules documents. The data collection is in three parts: Part 1a Completed pathways admitted Part 1b Completed pathways non-admitted Part 2 Incomplete pathways The return includes all patients whose RTT clock stopped at any point in the reporting period. A column has been provided to enter data for patients whose length of RTT period is unknown, i.e. patients who have had a clock stop during the month but where the clock start date is not known. For non-admitted patients, the RTT time is measured on an unadjusted basis - from the date the RTT clock starts to the date that the RTT clock stops, as detailed in DSCN 17/2006. For admitted patients, the RTT time is measured on an adjusted basis - from the date the RTT clock starts to the date that the RTT clock stops, allowing for legitimate pauses as described in the above RTT Rules Suite. Incomplete pathways represent those patients who have been referred on to consultantled referral to treatment pathways, but whose treatment had not yet started at the end of the reporting period. These patients will be at various stages of their pathway, for example, waiting for diagnostics, an appointment with a consultant, or for admission for a procedure. 4. Data Availability Data for admitted patients (patients whose RTT clock stopped with an inpatient/ day case admission) has been published each month since January 2007 on an unadjusted basis. Data for admitted patients (patients whose RTT clock stopped with an inpatient/ day case admission) has been published each month since March 2008 on an adjusted basis. Data for non-admitted patients (patients whose RTT clock stopped during the month for reasons other than an inpatient/day case admission) and incomplete RTT times for patients whose RTT clock is still running has been published each month since August Provider and Commissioner based data Commissioner based returns reflect data on a responsible population basis, which is defined as: all those patients resident within the PCT boundary; plus all patients registered with GPs who are members of the PCT, but are resident in another PCT; minus All patients resident in the PCT, but registered with a GP who is a member of another PCT

7 Provider based returns cover patients for whom English commissioners are responsible. 6. Average (median) and 95 th waiting times The median is the mid-point of the waiting times distribution (i.e. the 50 th ) and can be interpreted by saying that 50% of all patients, whose RTT clock stopped during the month, were treated within this time. The 95 th is another statistical measure of the waiting time distribution. It can be interpreted by saying that 95% of patients, whose clock stopped during the month, were treated within this time with one in twenty patients waiting longer than this time for treatment. It should be noted that medians and s times are calculated from aggregate data, rather than patient level data, and therefore are only estimates of the position on average waits. 7. Interpretation of RTT waiting times Care should be taken when making month on month comparisons of these figures. Measures of waiting time performance are subject to seasonality. For example, the presence of bank holidays or the number of weekends in a calendar month both affect the number of working days. Similarly, adverse weather may result in emergency pressure and impacts upon the health service's ability to preserve elective capacity. These factors can affect waiting times and should be considered when making comparisons across time. 8. Feedback welcomed The NHS Operating Framework for 2011/12 published on 15 December 2010 states, 'patients rights to access services within maximum waiting times under the NHS Constitution will continue and commissioners should ensure that performance does not deteriorate and where possible improves during 2011/12. With that in mind, providers should be expected to offer maximum waiting times to patients and there will be monitoring of compliance with this and the of waiting time. The median wait will also continue to be monitored with a view to improvement'. The percentage of patients treated within 18 weeks will continue to be published as it is still of interest to NHS organisations, patients and the public. We welcome feedback on the content and presentation of RTT statistics within this Statistical Press Notice and those published on the DH website. If anyone has any comments on this, or any other issues regarding RTT data and statistics, then please RTTdata@dh.gsi.gov.uk Additional Information

8 Full details of RTT data for individual organisations is available at: s/referraltotreatmentstatistics/index.htm Press enquiries contact: Press Office Department of Health Telephone: The Government Statistical Service (GSS) statistician responsible for producing these data is: Mark Svenson Knowledge and Intelligence Department of Health Room 4E63, Quarry House, Quarry Hill, Leeds LS2 7UE