Referral letters(FOI)

​Request

I would like to know the time it takes from receipt of a referral from a GP to a Hospital consultant for an appointment or procedure to be issued.

For example a Doctor writes and ask for patient 'x' to be seen by a consultant which is received on a Monday.

A

How long is it before an appointment letter will be sent out by the department?

B

Is this the same for all areas of medicine and procedures or do they vary?

C

If they vary, is data already kept on how long each patient has to wait for an appointment letter?

D

Are the figures published on waiting times inclusive of the time the Hospital first receives a referral from a GP? Or are they from the point an appointment letter is sent out to a patient?

If they are not inclusive of any appointment letter wait time could I have these with that wait time included please.

Response

A

The referral letter arrives at the hospital appointments office, this is entered on to the patient management system (TrakCare) on the same day and sent to the relevant consultant to grade.

Once the letter is graded and returned to the appointments team (approximate turn-around 1 week) a letter is sent out straight away, either with an appointment booked or advice that they have been added to the pending appointment list and an appointment will be send out six weeks in advance.

B

Visiting consultants – the appointment letter is sent out around two weeks prior to the visit as the consultant decides near to the visit which patients to put on the list. Outlying clinics which are not under the main appointments areas may vary (for example oncology drop ins, nurse-led clinics, Audiology, Speech and Language).

C

The Health and Community Services Department do not keep data showing how long each patient waits for an appointment letter.

D

The referral letter is entered on to the patient management system (TrakCare) the day it is received. The published waiting times include all time since that day.