Hospital Referral Times

Summary

A request was made for waiting times at Noble's Hospital across 11 specialities for both routine and urgent pathways. The Department of Health and Social Care stated it does not hold data for General Surgery and Gastroenterology, but provided performance targets and referral counts for the remaining specialities.

Key Facts

• The request was received on 2019-12-19 and lapsed on 2020-03-12.
• Information for General Surgery and Gastroenterology was not held by the authority.
• Referrals are graded as 2 Week Wait, Urgent, or Routine.
• The target is for 93% of suspected cancer referrals to be seen within 2 weeks.
• The target is for 100% of patients to be seen for their first outpatient appointment within 52 weeks.

Data Disclosed

• 2019-12-19
• 2020-03-12
• 23rd January 2020
• 93%
• 73.3%
• 100%
• 52 weeks
• 73%
• 4 weeks
• 96%
• 1021
• 386
• 94
• 1159
• 722
• 1302
• 478
• 144
• 86

Exemptions Cited

• Section 11(3)a of the Act (practical refusal reason: information not held or cannot be found after reasonable steps)

Original Request

How long will I wait to be seen at Noble's Hospital if I am referred today by a GP for the following specialities? - ENT - Dermatology - Gynaecology - General Surgery - Gastroenterology - Rheumatology - Paediatrics - Urology - Orthopaedics - Oral Surgery - Breast Surgery Clarification sought: When GPs refer patients to Nobles Hospital there are two referral pathways, routine or urgent. Please can you confirm which of these you mean? Clarification received. I can confirm that I would like the information for both pathways.

Data Tables (2)

Full Response Text

Chief Executive: Kathryn Magson Freedom of Information Team Department of Health & Social Care Chief Executive's Office Crookall House Demesne Road Douglas Isle of Man IM1 3QA Tel: (01624) 642621 Email: dhsc@foi.gov.im Website: www.gov.im/dhsc Our ref: 1110261 23rd January 2020

Dear ###

We write further to your request which was received on the 19th December 2019 and states:

"How long will I wait to be seen at Noble's Hospital if I am referred today by a GP for the following specialities? - ENT - Dermatology - Gynaecology - General Surgery - Gastroenterology - Rheumatology - Paediatrics - Urology - Orthopaedics - Oral Surgery - Breast Surgery Clarification sought: When GPs refer patients to Nobles Hospital there are two referral pathways, routine or urgent. Please can you confirm which of these you mean? Clarification received. I can confirm that I would like the information for both pathways."

While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance Department of Health and Social Care (“the Department”) is unable to provide the information you have requested. This is in line with section 11(3)a of the Act, as a practical refusal reason applies; namely we do not hold or cannot, after taking reasonable steps to do so, find the information that you have requested. We do not report on general surgery and gastroenterology however we do hold the information for the other specialities you have listed.

When a patient is referred to the hospital the referral is graded as; • 2 Week Wait • Urgent • Routine The current performance targets for the hospital are; Performance indicator Current Performance 93% of patients referred with suspected cancer are seen within 2 weeks 73.3% 100 % of patients seen for their first outpatient appointment within 52 weeks 96.7% 73% of patient referred to the hospital as a 2 week wait can expect to be seen within 2 weeks and the majority of those that are not will be seen no later than 4 weeks. 96% of patients referred as Urgent or Routine will be seen within 52 weeks. Count of all referrals to Nobles Hospital by Month of waiting time Specialty 0-02 03-05 06-11 12-17 18-23 24 Total Dermatology 219 90 124 118 99 371 1021 Rheumatology 89 76 79 60 45 37 386 Breast Surgery 88 1 2 3 0 0 94 ENT 211 156 269 260 240 23 1159 Oral Surgery 208 113 272 125 0 4 722 Trauma & Orthopaedics 351 230 282 187 184 68 1302 Urology 109 77 124 140 27 1 478 Gynaecology 140 3 0 1 0 0 144 Paediatrics 79 4 2 0 0 1 86 Waiting Time in Months The attached waiting times report is published on a quarterly basis and can be accessed through the link below. https://www.gov.im/about-the-government/departments/health-and-social- care/waiting-times/ Please quote the reference number 1110261 in any future communications.

Your right to request a review

If you are unhappy with this response to your freedom of information request, you may ask us to carry out an internal review of the response, by completing a complaint form and submitting it electronically or by delivery/post.

An electronic version of our complaint form can be found by going to our website at https://services.gov.im/freedom-of-information/Review . If you would like a paper version of our complaint form to be sent to you by post, please contact me and I will be happy to arrange for this. Your review request should explain why you are dissatisfied with this response, and should be made as soon as practicable. We will respond as soon as the review has been concluded.

If you are not satisfied with the result of the review, you then have the right to appeal to the Information Commissioner for a decision on; 1. Whether we have responded to your request for information in accordance with Part 2 of the Freedom of Information Act 2015; or 2. Whether we are justified in refusing to give you the information requested.
In response to an application for review, the Information Commissioner may, at any time, attempt to resolve a matter by negotiation, conciliation, mediation or another form of alternative dispute resolution and will have regard to any outcome of this in making any subsequent decision. More detailed information on your right to a review can be found on the Information Commissioner’s website at www.inforights.im. Should you have any queries concerning this letter, please do not hesitate to contact me. Further information about freedom of information requests can be found at www.gov.im/foi.

I will now close your request as of this date.

Yours sincerely