The latest quarterly waiting times figures 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.
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.
The figures also show:
The NHS in Scotland again delivered the Executive’s commitments on the diagnosis and treatment of coronary heart diseases
The number of patients waiting longer than nine weeks for key diagnostic tests fell by 52 per cent from July to December last year
93 per cent of patients attending A&E departments were admitted, discharged or transferred within 4 hours compared with 90 per cent in September 2006
More progress towards the Executive’s target of 95 per cent of cancer patients being seen within 62 days of urgent referral, with 83 per cent compliance by NHS Scotland