Waiting lists data will start being published again from next month, according to the Health Minister.
Last year information on waiting lists was taken off the government website as part of work to reduce times and reconfigure the system. That work had to be put on hold when the pandemic struck.
Due to the cancellations of a number of clinics during the lockdown, the number of people on patient tracking lists is now up by around 600.
Deputy Geoff Southern put a written question to the Health Minister on the list in the States Assembly this week.
The minister, Deputy Richard Renouf, said: ‘Health and Community Services currently has clinically and operationally validated outpatient and inpatient waiting lists and has confidence in its waiting-time data.
‘Validation is a continuous process and is now being handed over to the data quality team which validates a speciality per week in a cyclical process.
‘While waiting times have been impacted by Covid-19, HCS is working on a recovery plan.
‘Converting to phone/virtual clinics has seen waiting times improve amongst specialities that do not physically need to assess the patient. However, specialities which require a physical assessment have been impacted adversely by Covid-19.
‘The inpatient PTL has grown by approximately 600 patients during Covid-19.
‘This has stabilised now elective day surgery has recommenced. Assessments of overall demand and capacity have been completed (using the IMAS modelling referred to in the question), with a revised operating timetable helping to remove historic imbalances.’
Waiting times will now begin to reduce with six more operating sessions a week in place compared to the previous hospital timetable.
Deputy Renouf added: ‘All day theatre sessions per speciality will assist in increasing operational efficiency. Furthermore, the minor operating suite will see increased utilisation, freeing up capacity in the day surgery and main theatres.
‘This will result in an extra six operating sessions per week when compared to the previous timetable.
‘Subject to further work, the intention is to recommence the publication of waiting time data – on a more accurate and effective basis – early in July 2020.’
