The Waiting Game

A lot of time and money has gone into addressing the tricky problem of hospital waiting lists during this government's time in power. And indeed, it was a big focus for the previous Conservative government, which introduced the Patient's Charter.

Here we take an in-depth look at what the 18-week waiting target means for physiotherapists: at the pitfalls but also the opportunities the policy offers.

You can:

  • download the full article from the link at the end of this page;
  • discuss the issue on interactiveCSP (CSP members only);
  • send your views to Frontline magazine - frontline@csp.org.uk

 

What's happening and why?

One of Labour's chief pledges in 1997 was to cut the one million plus waiting list for treatment - a pledge that reflected focus group findings that long waits were one of the public's main bugbears about the NHS.

Over time the emphasis around waiting lists in England has shifted from the numbers on the list to the time they have been waiting. This has seen a cut in the maximum waiting time for hospital treatment from 18 to six months. But critically these figures do not include some of the hidden waits, especially for tests and therapies. Some would argue that long waiting lists helped ration finite resources.

In 2004 the then health secretary John Reid announced a radical step change - a target of just 18 weeks' wait from GP referral through to treatment, including any tests and therapies required along the way. The new limit was chosen because consultations showed the public felt this was an 'acceptable' wait.

Many health professionals have expressed scepticism about whether such a target is practical, but the government has made it clear it must happen. Over £4 billion is being made available over two years to achieve change, and trusts that breach the target will face severe penalties.

The clock is already ticking. By this March the maximum waiting time for outpatients was supposed to be 11 weeks, diagnostics 13 and inpatients 13. By next March this should be down to five, six and 11 respectively, with 85 per cent of inpatients and 90 per cent of outpatients seen in 18 weeks. By December the entire patient pathway must be achieved within 18 weeks.

Reports and research by Andrew Cole


This text on this page was last updated on 18 Apr 2007.