Colonoscopy Waiting List - Nobles

Summary

The Department of Health and Social Care responded to a request for data on the colonoscopy waiting list, providing the total number of patients, a breakdown by waiting duration, average wait times for different clinical categories, and monthly procedure statistics for the previous six months.

Key Facts

• There are currently 543 patients on the colonoscopy waiting list.
• The average waiting time for routine colonoscopies is seven months, while urgent cancer-related cases take less than two weeks.
• The Isle of Man Government does not have a specific waiting time standard for colonoscopies, though the UK NHS standard is 6 weeks.
• Productivity in the Endoscopy Unit increased by 25% following a move to a new facility.
• Plans to clear backlogs include employing a Nurse Endoscopist and adding an extra weekly list at Ramsey Cottage Hospital.

Data Disclosed

• 543
• 285
• 56
• 62
• 140
• less than two weeks
• one week
• seven months
• 6 weeks
• 96.1%
• 78
• 88
• 98
• 123
• 105
• 75
• 30
• 48
• 25%
• 5
• 2017-01-04
• 2017-01-16
• July 16
• August 16
• September 16
• October 16
• November 16
• December 16

Data Tables (2)

Full Response Text

Department of Health and Social Care

Rheynn Slaynt as Kiarail y Theay

REQUEST UNDER THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT 2015 (“the Act”) Thank you for your request dated 04th January 2017.
Your request You asked for: “Question 1 - Please provide the current total on the waiting list for a Colonoscopy and length of time for these patients waiting. To include a breakdown of these patients waiting times by length of time for example number of those over 6, 9, 12 months etc. and older”

“Question 2 - What is deemed as the average current waiting time & what is classed by IOM Hospital or NHS guidelines as the appropriate waiting time for such a list?”

“Question 3 - Also how many of these have taken place on a monthly basis for the last 6 months, and what if any plans there are to clear any backlogs?”

Response to your request

We are pleased to be able to provide a response to your request with answers to your questions. Question 1 - Please provide the current total on the waiting list for a Colonoscopy and length of time for these patients waiting. To include a breakdown of these patients waiting times by length of time for example number of those over 6, 9, 12 months etc. and older

There are currently 543 patients on the waiting list awaiting colonoscopy. These are broken down as follows:

Chief Executive Malcolm Couch

Department of Health & Social Care Chief Executive’s Office Crookall House Demesne Road Douglas Isle of Man, IM1 3QA

Direct Dial No:

(01624) 686324 Email:

FOI.DHSC@gov.im
Website:

www.gov.im/dhss Date:

16th January 2017

FOI Reference: IM725441

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Less than 6 months 6-9 months 9-12 months 12 months + Total 285 56 62 140 543

Question 2 - What is deemed as the average current waiting time & what is classed by IOM Hospital or NHS guidelines as the appropriate waiting time for such a list?

• The average current waiting time for a colonoscopy to investigate a potential cancer is less than two weeks.
• The average current waiting time for a colonoscopy following receipt of a positive bowel screening test is one week.
• The average current waiting time for a colonoscopy that is deemed ‘routine’ following initial outpatient consultation with a Consultant General Surgeon or Consultant Gastroenterologist is seven months.
The Isle of Man Government does not currently have a waiting time standard for colonoscopy, however all patients are prioritised on the basis of clinical presentation and all urgent or cancer related are expedited in order to prevent delay in diagnosis or treatment.

The UK NHS waiting time standard for colonoscopy is 6 weeks – currently 96.1% of patients are receiving their colonoscopy within 6 weeks of referral to endoscopy.

Question 3 - Also how many of these have taken place on a monthly basis for the last 6 months, and what if any plans there are to clear any backlogs?

July 16

August 16

September 16

October 16

November 16

December 16 Colonoscopies undertaken

78

88

98

123

105

75

The Endoscopy Unit has been undertaking additional ‘Waiting List Initiatives’ over the past 12 months in order to reduce the overall endoscopy waiting list – this included:

• A visiting consultant undertook a number of weekend waiting list initiatives during early 2016 at Ramsey Cottage Hospital – during the initiative, a total of 30 patients received their procedure • A locum consultant undertook a waiting list initiative every Saturday during September and October at Ramsey Cottage Hospital – during the initiative a total of 48 patients received their procedure
• Following the move to the new Endoscopy Unit, productivity has increased by 25% (i.e. one additional colonoscopy can be performed on a list) due to the flexibility of the new unit and the faster turnaround of the decontamination process. This can be

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FOIA/DHSC/13

observed in the monthly statistics where an increase in activity was observed from September onwards which is when the unit moved.

Plans to increase capacity over the next 12 months include:

• Employment of Nurse Endoscopist to supplement existing medical endoscopy capacity
• Increase in Consultant Gastroenterologist sessions within Endoscopy Unit
• Additional list to take place in Ramsey Cottage Hospital each week from February – this will increase capacity by 5 colonoscopies per week
• Further efficiencies on existing lists to be achieved through improvements in pain management

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 to the FOI Co-ordinator, Department of Health & Social Care, Chief Executive’s Officer, Crookall House, Demesne Road, Douglas, Isle of Man, IM1 3QA. An electronic version and paper version of our complaint form can be found by going to our website https://www.gov.im/about-the-government/freedom-of- information/how-to-make-a-freedom-of-information-request/ 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; 01. Whether we have responded to your request for information in accordance with Part 2 of the Freedom of Information Act; or 02. 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. Further information about Freedom of Information requests can be found on the Information Commissioner’s website at: https://www.inforights.im/information-centre/freedom-of- information

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Should you have any queries concerning this letter, please do not hesitate to contact us. Yours Sincerely Freedom of Information Team Department of Health and Social Care

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