Waiting list statistics

The Waiting List Statistics Releases show detailed information on the number of people waiting for a first outpatient appointment, a diagnostic test or inpatient treatment at hospitals in Northern Ireland.

Key facts and figures for NI Waiting Times at end of March 2012 are listed below.

The 2011/12 Ministerial target relating to outpatient waiting times states that from April 2011, at least 50% of patients should wait no longer than nine weeks for a first outpatient appointment, and no patients should wait longer than 21 weeks.

Overall

The total number of people waiting for a first outpatient appointment at the end of March 2012 was 103,007. This represented a decrease of 21,093 (-17.0%) on the number waiting at the end of December 2011 (124,100) and was down 3,199 (-3.0%) on the number waiting at the same time last year (106,206).

At the end of March 2012, 27.5% (28,277) of the total number waiting were waiting more than nine weeks for a first outpatient appointment, a decrease from both the 47.8% (59,378 out of 124,100 total patients) waiting more than nine weeks at the end of December 2011, and the 30.0% (31,909 out of 106,206 total patients waiting) waiting at the end of March 2011.

The number of people waiting more than 21 weeks for a first outpatient appointment at the end of March 2012 was 5,903, 5.7% of the total number waiting. This compared with 24,720 waiting more than 21 weeks at the end of December 2011, 19.9% of the total waiting.

A total of 145,562 patients attended a first outpatient appointment during the March 2012 quarter, an increase of 21,917 (+17.7%) on the quarter ending December 2011 (123,645) and up 9,550 (+7.0%) on the quarter ending March 2011 (136,012). These figures include all activity commissioned by the Health Service in Health and Social Care hospitals and also include outpatient activity, commissioned by the Health Service, which is undertaken by the independent sector at locations other than Health and Social Care hospitals.

Waiting Times:

The total number of people waiting for a first ICATS appointment at the end of March 2012 was 6,476. This represents an increase of 33 (+0.5%) from the previous quarter (6,443), and an increase of 497 (+8.3%) from the end of March 2011 (5,979).

At the end of March 2012, 10.7% of patients were waiting more than nine weeks for a first ICATS appointment (693 out of 6,476 total patients waiting), compared to 17.7% of patients (1,141 out of 6,443 total patients waiting) waiting at the end of December 2011, and 6.4% (381 out of 5,979 total patients waiting) at the end of the same quarter the previous year.

There were 76 (1.2%) patients waiting longer than 21 weeks for a first appointment at ICATS, compared with 280 patients (4.3%) waiting longer than 21 weeks at the end of December 2011.

The total number of patients waiting at the end of March 2012 for a diagnostic service was 60,912, a decrease of 4,518 (-6.9%) on the previous quarter (65,430), and a decrease of 1,193 (-1.9%) on the number waiting at the end of March 2011 (62,105).

At the end of March 2012, there were 6,718 (13.7%) patients waiting over nine weeks for a diagnostic service. This represented a decrease of 2,967 (-30.6%) on the number waiting more than nine weeks at the end of December 2011 (9,685), but was up 866 (+14.8%) on the number waiting more than nine weeks at the end of March 2011 (5,852).

At the end of March 2012, there were 1,928 (16.4%) patients waiting over 13 weeks for a day case endoscopy. This represented a decrease of 3,445 (-64.1%) on the number waiting more than 13 weeks at the end of December 2011 (5,373), and a decrease of 4,263 (-68.9%) on the number waiting more than 13 weeks at the end of March 2011 (6,191).

The Ministerial target for diagnostic reporting times states that, from April 2011, all routine diagnostic tests should be reported on within four weeks.

The total number of completed diagnostic reports verified and dispatched to the referring clinician during the quarter ending 31st March 2012 was 118,551, an increase of 5,907 (+5.2%) on the previous quarter (112,644), and an increase of 14,347 (+13.8%) on the same quarter in the previous year (104,204).

99.4% of routine diagnostic tests were reported, verified and dispatched within four weeks (with 97.4% of routine diagnostic tests reported, verified and dispatched within two weeks). Although the target that 100% of all routine tests should be reported within four weeks was not met, each Trust managed to report on over 98% of all routine tests within four weeks.

91.6% of urgent diagnostic tests in Northern Ireland were reported, verified and dispatched within two days, with each Trust reporting on over 88% of all urgent diagnostic tests within two days.

The Ministerial target, for inpatient waiting times, states that from April 2011, at least 50% of patients should wait no longer than 13 weeks for inpatient or day case treatment, and no patient should wait longer than 36 weeks.

The total number of patients waiting for treatment at the end of March 2012 was 50,828.

This total has decreased by 5,642 (-10.0%) compared with the previous quarter (56,470), and also fell by 2,052 (-3.9%) compared with the same quarter in the previous year (52,880).

At the end of March 2012, there were 18,109 (35.6%) patients waiting more than 13 weeks for inpatient treatment. This number represented a decrease of 6,059 on the figure for the previous quarter (24,168), but was up 479 on the number waiting over 13 weeks at the end of March 2011 (17,630).

The proportion of people waiting more than 13 weeks for inpatient admission was 35.6% (18,109 out of 50,828 total patients waiting), compared to 42.8% at the end of December 2011 (24,168 out of 56,470 total patients waiting) and 33.3% at the end of March 2011 (17,630 out of 52,880 total patients waiting).

There were 775 patients waiting longer than 36 weeks for inpatient admission at the end of March 2012, a decrease of 4,238 on the previous quarter (5,013), and down 486 on the number waiting over 36 weeks at the same time last year (1,261).

A total of 55,194 inpatients were admitted to hospital, following an inpatient wait, during the March 2012 quarter. This was an increase of 4,131 (+8.1%) on the quarter ending December 2011 (51,063) and was up 7,808 (+16.5%) on the quarter ending March 2011 (47,386). These figures include all activity commissioned by the Health Service in Health and Social Care hospitals and also include inpatient activity, commissioned by the Health Service, which is undertaken by the independent sector at locations other than Health and Social Care hospitals.