55 NHS waiting time targets

Submitted by Society of Radiographers

Congress is concerned over the recent government announcement that Primary Care Trusts will be funded so that patients who cannot be guaranteed a ‘two week’ wait can go private.

Congress believes that the Government’s focus on waiting time targets is not always in the best interests of patients, nor necessarily supports the Government’s drive, supported by Congress, to improve the quality of care.

At present, patients who are not clinically urgent are receiving diagnostic imaging as a priority due to the ‘two week’ wait. This is sometimes at the cost of delaying clinically urgent ward patients due to limited staffing levels. Anecdotal evidence suggests that imaging staff are increasingly forced to take on excessive workloads, or work extended hours to meet waiting time targets. Congress believes that this is not in the best interest of staff or patients.

Congress calls on the General Council to urge the Government to review:

i) the impact of waiting time targets on the quality of care to patients

ii) the impact on staff workloads and staffing levels

iii) its policy of funding to PCTs in respect of the ‘two week’ wait.