Why is this HEAT target important?
Shorter waits can lead to earlier diagnosis and better outcomes for many patients as well as reducing unnecessary worry and uncertainty for patients and their relatives. It also reduces inequalities by addressing variations in waiting times between NHS Boards or individual hospitals. Shorter waiting times will have a positive impact on the health of the patient, but in the long-term may result in some positive impact on all businesses, as key workers who are absent from the work due to illness may be treated earlier and will therefore be able to return to the workplace earlier.
How are we performing?
Target due for delivery in December 2011
The target for delivery in December 2011 is for 90 per cent of patients to wait no longer than 18 weeks from referral to treatment. In December 2011 92.0 per cent of patients were reported as being seen within 18 weeks. The figures for October and November 2011 were 89.4 per cent and 89.6 per cent, respectively. The data were first published for January 2011 when 82.1 per cent were seen within 18 weeks.
To be able to report the 18 Weeks RTT waiting time it is necessary for NHS Boards to link the patient's 'clock start' to the 'clock stop'. Hospital information systems are being upgraded to provide high levels of linkage, which enables them to follow the patient through each stage of their journey. Performance against the 18 Weeks RTT target should be interpreted in consideration of the level of pathway linkage. In December 2011 pathway linkage was 87.5 per cent.
The graph below shows the percentage of patient journeys completed within 18 weeks since January 2011 (the first date for which statistics are available).
The table below shows the percentage of patients journeys completed within 18 weeks, by NHS Board, for December 2011.
| NHS Board | December 2011 | Target December 2011 |
| NHS AYRSHIRE & ARRAN | 91.2 | 90.0 |
| NHS BORDERS | 91.4 | 90.0 |
| NHS DUMFRIES & GALLOWAY | 93.3 | 90.0 |
| NHS FIFE | 94.9 | 90.0 |
| NHS FORTH VALLEY | 92.5 | 90.0 |
| NHS GRAMPIAN | 90.3 | 90.0 |
| NHS GREATER GLASGOW & CLYDE | 90.2 | 90.0 |
| NHS HIGHLAND | 93.6 | 90.0 |
| NHS LANARKSHIRE | 94.1 | 90.0 |
| NHS LOTHIAN | 89.5 | 90.0 |
| NHS ORKNEY | 95.3 | 90.0 |
| NHS SHETLAND | 99.3 | 90.0 |
| NHS TAYSIDE | 97.1 | 90.0 |
| NHS WESTERN ISLES | 91.8 | 90.0 |
| NHSSCOTLAND | 92.0 | 90.0 |
Further Information
Guidance on 18 weeks Referral To Treatment Standards: Principles and Definitions - January 2009
18 weeks: The Referral to Treatment Standard (The official project initiation document)
Inpatient, Day Case & Outpatient stage of treatment waiting times
18 Weeks RTT
Related National Outcomes