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| Scottish government suspends tougher A&E waiting target | |
| (about 9 hours later) | |
| The Scottish government has put on hold plans to reintroduce a tougher waiting time target for A&E departments, BBC Scotland can reveal. | |
| Currently, emergency departments have to treat 95% of patients within four hours - a target never met. | Currently, emergency departments have to treat 95% of patients within four hours - a target never met. |
| This was a temporary target that was supposed to rise to 98% last September, however, it will now remain in place. | This was a temporary target that was supposed to rise to 98% last September, however, it will now remain in place. |
| A Scottish government spokesman said that attaining the four-hour waiting time target was a "priority". | A Scottish government spokesman said that attaining the four-hour waiting time target was a "priority". |
| When the temporary target was meant to end, the tougher target to treat 98% of patients within four hours was to be reintroduced. | When the temporary target was meant to end, the tougher target to treat 98% of patients within four hours was to be reintroduced. |
| However, due to the poor performance of Scottish Accident and Emergency departments, the lower target will remain. | However, due to the poor performance of Scottish Accident and Emergency departments, the lower target will remain. |
| Second change | Second change |
| The performance of emergency departments has not improved since the "interim target" was introduced in April 2013. | The performance of emergency departments has not improved since the "interim target" was introduced in April 2013. |
| The easier target has never been met and the tougher target was last achieved in 2009. | The easier target has never been met and the tougher target was last achieved in 2009. |
| However, in future, emergency departments can claim to have hit the easier target even if one in 20 (an estimated 82,500 people) wait longer than four hours. | However, in future, emergency departments can claim to have hit the easier target even if one in 20 (an estimated 82,500 people) wait longer than four hours. |
| Confusion arose over the issue this week when statisticians from the Information Services Division (ISD) of the NHS sought urgent clarification from the Scottish government. | Confusion arose over the issue this week when statisticians from the Information Services Division (ISD) of the NHS sought urgent clarification from the Scottish government. |
| ISD monitors the performance of the NHS and produces statistical summaries. It has continued to document the performance of the NHS against both the 95% and 98% targets. | ISD monitors the performance of the NHS and produces statistical summaries. It has continued to document the performance of the NHS against both the 95% and 98% targets. |
| The latest waiting times, covering the last three months of 2014, are due out on Tuesday. They are not expected to show much improvement. | The latest waiting times, covering the last three months of 2014, are due out on Tuesday. They are not expected to show much improvement. |
| This is the second time the Scottish government has quietly made changes to the way it measures waiting times. | This is the second time the Scottish government has quietly made changes to the way it measures waiting times. |
| It was criticised in 2013 for the way the 95% target was introduced, which was done without any public announcement. | It was criticised in 2013 for the way the 95% target was introduced, which was done without any public announcement. |
| Government targets | Government targets |
| At the time, the government insisted the 98% target had become a "standard" and the 95% figure was a "stepped target" to help boards meet the standard. | At the time, the government insisted the 98% target had become a "standard" and the 95% figure was a "stepped target" to help boards meet the standard. |
| However, the lower 95% target brought Scotland into line with the rest of the UK, which measures performance to the same level. | However, the lower 95% target brought Scotland into line with the rest of the UK, which measures performance to the same level. |
| Last month, the Scottish government announced £100m would be invested over three years to help reduce "bed blocking" - people unnecessarily stuck in a hospital bed because care arrangements were not in place elsewhere. | Last month, the Scottish government announced £100m would be invested over three years to help reduce "bed blocking" - people unnecessarily stuck in a hospital bed because care arrangements were not in place elsewhere. |
| A Scottish government spokesman said: "The Scottish government and NHS boards are absolutely clear that four-hour A&E performance is a priority and that those boards performing below 95% first need to get to 95% sustainably, and then to make plans to strive to 98%. | A Scottish government spokesman said: "The Scottish government and NHS boards are absolutely clear that four-hour A&E performance is a priority and that those boards performing below 95% first need to get to 95% sustainably, and then to make plans to strive to 98%. |
| "The local delivery plan (LDP) for 2015-16 sets out that the A&E four-hour LDP standard follows clinical advice to sustain at least 95% of A&E patients being treated within four hours, as a step towards achieving 98%, which is amongst the toughest A&E standard anywhere in the world. | "The local delivery plan (LDP) for 2015-16 sets out that the A&E four-hour LDP standard follows clinical advice to sustain at least 95% of A&E patients being treated within four hours, as a step towards achieving 98%, which is amongst the toughest A&E standard anywhere in the world. |
| "We are making the transition from HEAT targets and standards to LDP standards so as to simplify the terminology in use." | "We are making the transition from HEAT targets and standards to LDP standards so as to simplify the terminology in use." |