This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
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NHS outpatient census
21/08/2003
Commenting on the outpatient census published today by Audit Scotland, Health Minister Malcolm Chisholm said:
"I very much welcome this report. It highlights the vast range of NHS services treating patients closer to their homes in primary care settings.
"The report also underlines the changes which are under way enabling all NHS staff, including nurses and allied health professionals, to make full use of their skills and expertise.
"But I am concerned at the number of cases where patients do not attend for treatment. This is wasteful both in terms of loss of potential treatment for others and cost to the NHS.
"There are a number of measures to reduce such cases. Boards and Trusts can arrange more convenient clinic times and improve their communications with patients.
"We expect them to review services where there are high rates of non-attendance and take appropriate action.
"Equally, patients have responsibilities as well as rights. That means turning up for appointments or giving notice when they cannot attend.
"I have said on a number of occasions that there is a great deal of activity taking place in the NHS that is not being captured by current national data collection systems.
"A lot of work has been done on improving these systems since Audit Scotland produced its first report in September 2001, but I recognise there is a lot more that needs to be done.
"I encourage Boards and Trusts to keep up the innovative work they are doing and also to take forward the Audit Scotland recommendations to ensure that effective management systems are in place.
"Much of this unreported activity is taking place in a primary care setting or by primary care staff showing that the NHS is devolving a great deal of care and treatment out of hospitals and into local communities.
"To further improve the delivery of outpatient services, the Centre for Change and Innovation is driving forward a co-ordinated programme of service redesign, piloting and rolling out innovative practice within NHSScotland.
"ISD Scotland already has a great deal of work underway to improve national data collection systems to better and more accurately reflect NHSScotland activity."
The Information and Statistics Division (ISD) of the Common Services Agency collates data on behalf of NHSScotland. A major data development programme started last year to improve collection of information about work by practice and community nurses and allied health professionals and also in various settings including accident and emergency and minor operation clinics, and the field of mental health.
The Audit Scotland census report is a follow-up to its first report Mind the Gap: Management Information for Outpatient Services published in September 2001.