Scottish Government

Access Targets for 2008

• Ensure that anyone contacting their GP surgery has guaranteed access to a GP, nurse or other health care professional within 48 hours.
• The maximum wait from urgent referral to treatment for all cancers is two months.
• To respond to 75% of Category A calls within 8 minutes from April 2009 onwards across mainland Scotland.
• As a milestone in achieving 18 weeks referral to treatment, no patient will wait longer than 15 weeks from GP referral to a first outpatient appointment from 31 March 2009.
• As a milestone in achieving 18 weeks referral to treatment, no patient will wait longer than 15 weeks for inpatient or day case treatment from 31 March 2009.
• As a milestone in achieving 18 weeks referral to treatment, no patient will wait longer than 6 weeks for one of the 8 key diagnostic tests from 31 March 2009.
• NHS Boards will achieve agreed reductions in the rates of attendance at A&E, from 2006/7 to 2010/11; and from end 2007 no patient will wait more than 4 hours from arrival to admission, discharge or transfer for accident and emergency treatment.