28 June 2002
A report from Audit Scotland on June 25 found that the number of patients on deferred waiting lists was growing and there were administrative 'inconsistencies', with delays of up to 20 days before patients were placed on lists.
While there was no suggestion of wrongdoing, the auditor found that the main waiting list in Scotland fell by about 12,500 patients between 1993 and 2002 but during the same period the deferred list rose by 11,800.
A deferred waiting list is used if patients are unavailable for admission for medical or social reasons, or if a patient does not attend. Once patients are placed on the deferred list, they can be selected for admission but they do not transfer back to the main waiting list.
British Medical Association Scottish council chair Dr John Garner said the report showed the real state of the Scottish NHS, claiming that the Executive's waiting targets were not being met.
Health Minister Malcolm Chisholm called for an end to the 'climate of cynicism' around the statistics and announced the allocation of £15m to tackle delays in patients being discharged from hospitals.
Chisholm hailed the purchase of the HCI hospital in Clydebank for £37.5m. He said the hospital, which will perform 5,000 procedures in its first year, would become a national waiting times centre, helping to reduce long waits in all parts of Scotland.
PFjun2002
