A health trust in Northern Ireland has urged patients to cancel no longer needed appointments to help reduce waiting lists.
The South Eastern Trust said a recent review of just one of their general surgery outpatient waiting lists found a staggering 22% of patients who no longer needed their appointment didn't cancel it, to allow someone else on the waiting list to take their spot.
South Eastern Trust Assistant Director, Elective and Radiology Services, Chris Allam, said the lack of notification from those patients who have opted for private healthcare or their symptoms have changed "is one of the main issues that we face currently on a day-to-day basis.”
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He added: "We recently text validated our general surgery outpatient waiting list, which was just over 9,000 patients and 22 per cent of those patients came back to say that they had either had their procedure done privately or they no longer needed their outpatient appointment, yet they hadn’t informed us.
“These are significant numbers, in just one speciality area alone, so if you multiply that across each speciality, you can imagine the number of patients who would be removed from our waiting lists enabling that appointment to be offered to those still waiting on the list.”
Chris said her message was clear: “We are asking the public to let us know, whether it’s a call, an email, let us know if you have gone privately or the appointment is no longer required. Our aim is to work in partnership with the general public and we can offer that appointment to a patient that still requires it.”
Hospitals across Northern Ireland are facing pressure, with long waiting lists for patients waiting to receive elective care. In Northern Ireland, 50% of outpatients should wait no longer than nine weeks for a first appointment, with no patient waiting longer than 52 weeks.
The latest figures from December 2024 in the South Eastern Trust show that 87.8% (147,048) of patients were waiting more than nine weeks for a first consultant-led outpatient appointment. It also showed 56.5% (94,588) of patients were waiting more than 52 weeks for a first consultant-led outpatient appointment
To notify that your procedure appointment is no longer needed please email [email protected] or telephone 02892 635777.
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