NHSScotland: national access policy

3. Waiting Time Standards

Health Boards are required to ensure that there is equitable and sustainable delivery of waiting time standards, ensuring there is sufficient capacity available and there is optimal use of this capacity to deliver all waiting time requirements.

This will include working collaboratively with other Health Boards and healthcare providers, and the use of National Treatment Centres where possible. This will ensure patients receive the most appropriate treatment with the shortest possible waiting time.

CfSD is working with Health Boards to accelerate implementation of high-impact changes, including Active Clinical Referral Triage (ACRT), freeing up additional capacity in the NHS system. These improvement programmes will support delivery of waiting times standards and provide sustainable solutions for the future.

The current waiting times standards for acute hospital care are:

• 6 weeks for the 8 key diagnostic tests and investigations;
• 12 weeks for new outpatient appointments for 95% of patients;
• the statutory 12 week treatment time guarantee, and;
• 18 weeks for an outpatient appointment, diagnostic tests (if required) and treatment (if appropriate) for 90% of patients.