Complaints received for April2012 totalled 50, with 39 (78%) being responded to within 20 working days. The target for 2010/11 was 72% within 20 working days and the Trust achieved 64%. The position for May is not yet available.
Patients waiting in A&E over 12hrs for treatment must be reported as Serious Adverse Incidents under DHSSPS guidance. There were 240 cases reported to DHSSPS for May 2012. 14 of these cases were related to Ambulance breaches which were attributed to the Trust.
Access Targets/Waiting Times
Elective In-patients and daycases – As at the 31st May there were 1,612 NHSCT patients waiting over 13 weeks, 409 of which are IS transfers.
248 patients were breaching the Trust Plan backstop positions at the end of May 2012, 111 of which are IS transfers. 75% of total patients were waiting within 13 weeks. (Information validated weekly by operational staff). New backstops applied for quarter 1 2012/13.
Out-patients - As at the 31st May there were 5,333 NHSCT patients waiting over 9 weeks, 2,103 of which are IS transfers. An additional 267 patients were waiting over 9 weeks for ICATS specialties. There were 404 patients
breaching the Trust Plan backstop positions at the end of May 2012, 174 of which are IS transfers. (Information validated weekly by operational staff) New backstops applied for quarter 1 2012/13.
Diagnostics – As at 31st May there were 515 Cardiology patients, 1 Respiratory Physiology and 28 Urodynamic patients waiting over 9 weeks.
AHPs - As at 31st May there were 177 patients waiting over 9 weeks, 101 Occupational Therapy, 2 Orthoptics, 47 Physio and 27 Speech & Language.
Mental Health waiting list – As at 31st May, there were 107 (CAMHS) patients in breach of the 9 week target. Psychological Therapies continues to be monitored against the 13 week target and there were 12 patients in breach of this target.
Accident & Emergency
All patients should be seen within 12 hours. During May the Trust had 240 patients in excess of this target. 14 of these breaches were requests to the NI Ambulance Service (NIAS) outside of a 4 hour request target. Within the overall Trust A&E sites there were 73% of patients who had been seen and discharged within 4 hours for May. The target is 95% at each individual site. Both Antrim and Causeway sites continue to fall below the target. An Unscheduled Care Programme Board has been setup including an Improvement group to identify and implement actions for A&E.
Responsibility for 12-hour breaches for patients who require ambulance transport from the Emergency Department is as follows:
- Where a patient requiring NIAS transport from the Emergency Department waits longer than 12 hours, the breach will be attributed to NIAS if the transport was requested within four hours of the
patient presenting to the Emergency Department.
- If however the request for ambulance transport is made after four hours of the patient presenting at
the Emergency Department, the breach will be attributed to the relevant Trust.