Government may modify waiting time targets

Government may modify waiting time targets

The government is considering changing the way that NHS waiting time targets are measured.

The move, which would mean that "clinically justified" delays would not be included in the targets, has been criticised by opposition MPs. But the government and some doctors say it may be in the best interests of patients.

Currently, the government says that all NHS patients in England will have to wait no more than 18 weeks for treatment from the point of referral by their GP by December 2008.

But that target may change to 90% of patients, according to health minister Ben Bradshaw. He said the buffer would mean that more patients are treated based on clinical need as opposed to being treated just to meet government targets.

For example, a patient's surgery date may be inconvenient for them and they might opt to wait longer, or a patient might need to lose weight before they can have surgery. According to the government, it might not make sense to count such incidences when analysing waiting time performance.

Doctors' representatives have also backed the proposed changes. Dr Jonathan Fielden, chairman of the British Medical Association's Consultant's Committee, said: "The BMA has been calling for high quality and safe clinical care to be put first for patients for some time.

"'A possible 10% buffer will allow trusts to move the focus from purely finance to quality, and ease some of the pressure to meet the politically-set 18 week target."

But Liberal Democrat shadow health secretary Norman Lamb said: "Ministers will struggle to convince a public already sceptical about government statistics that this change isn't merely providing political cover because of fears they will fail to achieve their target."

Latest figures show seven out of 10 patients are being treated on 18 week target, but that one in 10 wait over a year. This means that three out of every four non-admitted patients are seen and treated within 18 weeks following the initial referral by their GP.

The Health Insurance Magazine 14 November 2007