Record figures: less waiting and more action in NHS Forth ValleyFalkirk East MSP Cathy Peattie has welcomed the best performance ever recorded for inpatient and day case waiting times for Forth Valley residents. The latest quarterly waiting times figures (to end March 2007) show the NHS has achieved its best ever all round performance with patients continuing to benefit from the lowest ever inpatient and outpatient waiting times. The figures show that in March 2007 across Forth Valley NHS no patients were waiting over 18-weeks for inpatient or day case treatment. "I am proud that we fulfilled our promise to reduce NHS waiting times," said Cathy. "Long waits are becoming a thing of the past. Waiting times for in-patients and out-patients are lower than ever. The wait for key diagnostic tests has been reduced massively and the NHS is on target to achieve its 4-hour maximum waiting time target for A&E treatment. I am very grateful to local NHS staff for their hard work, and hope that the new minority SNP administration do not undo the good work that has been done." In Forth Valley NHS the number of out-patients waiting over 18-weeks has fallen by 109 in the last quarter and 375 in the last year, and is now 628 compared to 1295 two years ago. It is now more than a year since there was any 26+ week wait, and for inpatients the NHS continues to meet its 18-week maximum wait target (ahead of schedule) for those requiring treatment with a guarantee. Significant increases in activity by NHS Scotland have made a major contribution to these improvements. Routine inpatient and day case activity is now at record levels - with key procedures which bring major quality of life benefits to patients such as angioplasty up 153 per cent, knee joint replacements up 79 per cent, and cataract operations up 38 per cent since 1999. (June 2007) |
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