Waiting times continue to fall
14 August 2008
All NHS hospitals in England must meet a national target to treat 90% of inpatients and 95% of outpatients and day case patients within 18 weeks of GP referral by December 2008.
All NHS hospitals in England must meet a national target to treat 90% of inpatients and 95% of outpatients and day case patients within 18 weeks of GP referral by December 2008.
Chelsea and Westminster is hitting the target already – 93.5% of inpatients and 99.3% of outpatients and day case patients were treated within 18 weeks in June.
Since April 1, patient can choose to be treated at any NHS hospital in England and clearly how long you wait for treatment is a key factor that influences that choice.
A Healthcare Commission survey of 69,000 NHS patients, published in July, showed that patients living in Kensington and Chelsea are more likely to be offered a choice of hospital for their first appointment than almost anywhere else in the country.
According to the survey, 60% of patients in the borough were offered a choice for their first appointment – compared with just 22% on the Isle of Wight and 25% in Newcastle.