Introduction
Dermatology was one of five specialties, all with a history of long waiting times, selected for inclusion in the Centre for Change and Innovation ( CCI) Outpatient Programme. This initiative was designed to support NHS Boards deliver a sustainable reduction in waiting times, in line with the target specified in 'Partnership for Care' (2003) that no patient should wait more than 26 weeks for an outpatient appointment by December 2005.
Skin Action Scotland ( SAS), the resulting national redesign and innovation project, has focussed on out-patient dermatology services and ran between 4/04 to 3/06. SAS was complemented by five other concurrent improvement initiatives also co-ordinated by the CCI: patient pathways, IT projects, patient focussed booking ( PFB), referral information services and community outpatient services ( COS). The combined impact of these initiatives has already been reviewed (*Outpatient Programme, 2006).
This report primarily reviews the Dermatology initiatives supervised by the Skin Action Scotland Steering Group ( Appendix 1) and is intended to assess the impact of funded projects and assist future debate on the delivery of Dermatology care in Scotland. As certain COS projects directly involved Dermatology out-patient services, a summary is included in this report. The CCI has also promoted training and raised awareness of queuing theory throughout its programmes and a summary on the challenges of implementation in the SAS project is also included.
Lead consultants and those project managers still in post have contributed individual summaries of their SAS initiatives along with local learning points. Available data from each Health Board are included in appendices. An overview of SAS is provided by the national clinical lead along with programme action and learning points.
Information of the Outpatient Programme and further resources are available at: www.cci.scot.nhs.uk
*An Evaluation of the CCI Outpatient Programme, June 22nd, 2006:www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2006/06/16123827/0
Colin A. Morton, NHS Forth Valley & National Lead Clinician SAS
October 2006