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Across the country, PCTs and NHS Trusts are committed to ensuring that, by the end of 2008, no patient will wait more than 18 weeks from GP referral to treatment. A maximum 18 weeks referral to treatment time is designed to improve patients' experience of the NHS, delivering quality care without unnecessary delays. As well as improved clinical outcomes, a maximum 18 weeks referral to treatment time will also take away much of the uncertainty for patients waiting for their condition to be treated.
What is 'new' about 18 Weeks?
Is this just another target that will fade away?
How are you making this national target work locally?
Is this just about clinical care?
Do we believe CUH can deliver '18 Weeks' by the end of next year?
What does CUH want patients to do differently?
The 18-week wait in practice: what can you expect as a patient?
Managing your care
What do I do if I don't want my treatment within 18 weeks?
Keeping to the 18-week timescale
Discharging you back to your GP's care
Exceptions to the 18-week wait
More information
What is 'new' about 18 Weeks?
Shouldn't trusts be focusing on delivering rapid access to high-quality care anyway?
'18 Weeks' helps trusts enhance delivery of care because it enables them, individually and collectively, to take an overview of a patient's needs - looking at steps that can help and speed up a patient's journey through the healthcare system, rather than focusing on each stage in the treatment separately. Creating this overview, and helping NHS staff and patients to play their part in the process, will aid delivery of better, faster care to benefit patients, staff and the community as a whole.
Is this just another target that will fade away?
No, '18 Weeks' is much more than a target - it's a commitment to challenging established practices and ways of working to simplify and streamline a patient's journey through the healthcare system. It is about creating sustained change in which NHS Trusts, NHS staff and patients all have a role.
How are you making this national target work locally?
'18 Weeks' is much more than a target - it's a commitment to challenging established practices and ways of working to simplify and streamline a patient's journey through the healthcare system. We are encouraging staff and patients to play their part in bringing the vision of '18 Weeks' to life. The initiative might be a national one, but the opportunity for change is at local level. And it is up to us locally to identify where changes can be made in the most effective and sustainable way.
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Is this just about clinical care?
No, progress towards '18 Weeks' involves everyone connected to a patient's journey through the system. Of course, clinicians play a key part, but they work alongside administrative and support staff who all have a role in aiding a patient's progress. Plus patients themselves can help the process in a number of ways, from keeping appointments to responding to correspondence quickly.
Do we risk rushing patients through treatment at the expense of quality of care because of the emphasis on 18 Weeks?
'18 Weeks' is about delivering better, faster care to benefit patients. Our Trusts and staff across the region are committed to continuously improving the experience of patients in all areas of healthcare. Measures such as the patient experience survey will ensure that '18 Weeks' is not achieved at the expense of quality of care.
Do we believe CUH can deliver '18 Weeks' by the end of next year?
We are making significant progress, examining our own activities and the way we work with other organisations in the system and making changes where necessary to make sure a patient's experience is as simple and seamless as possible. We have many treatment pathways that are already well within the maximum of 18 Weeks maximum. We are confident of further progress in the months ahead.
What does CUH want patients to do differently?
Essentially, we can't make the progress we need to without patients' help. We need you to play a part in your own healthcare, eg responding to letters in a timely fashion, and, if you have to cancel an appointment, doing so well in advance so that re-arrangements can be made without having too great an impact on timings. Progress towards '18 Weeks' is not a one-way street, and we need patients to recognise this.
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The 18-week wait in practice: what can you expect as a patient?
So how does all this work for you as a patient coming for an outpatient appointment?
At the start of 18 weeks .
Your GP, dentist, optician or clinic will ask us to see you in one of our outpatient clinics. We'll send you a letter asking you to call us to arrange a time for you to come for an appointment - this may be at Addenbrooke's or it could be in one of our partner hospitals or clinics in the community. Where possible we'll try to arrange your first appointment within five weeks.
Deciding on your treatment.
At your appointment you'll be seen by the consultant or a member of their team. A plan will be made to sort out what kind of treatment you need: this could include assessments, blood tests, follow-up outpatient visits or diagnostic procedures like an x-ray or ultrasound.
Beginning your treatment
Your treatment options will be discussed with you and treatment begun within 18 weeks. Treatment could include: admission for an operation as an inpatient or day case; the start of treatment in outpatients; fitting you with a medical device; or perhaps you may not need treatment after all.
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Managing your care
So we can treat you as soon as possible and keep waiting times to a minimum our consultants operate a team-based approach to delivering patient care. This means that you may receive treatment under the care of another consultant or a member of their team.
We will always inform you of any changes either by letter or over the telephone if you call to book an appointment. Be assured that you will always be treated in a team with the appropriate skills, experience and expertise necessary to undertake your treatment safely and effectively.
What do I do if I don't want my treatment within 18 weeks?
It may be that due to personal reasons or other health issues you do not wish to undergo treatment within the 18-week period. In most cases if you wish to defer treatment for more than a few weeks we will discharge you back to you GP and ask that they re-refer you at a more convenient time. In many cases you will not need to be seen again in outpatients and will go straight back onto the list for treatment.
Keeping to the 18-week timescale
You can help us by:
keeping a note of all your appointments for outpatients, diagnostic tests etc and making sure you attend for them letting us know if your contact details change telling us as soon as possible if you no longer want your appointment - we understand that you may change your mind about treatment. If we know then we can use your appointment time for other patients being available for surgery you have booked improving your lifestyle so you will be fit for treatment - think about stopping smoking, getting fitter or losing weight
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Discharging you back to your GP's care
If you miss an appointment and don't let us know in advance, then we'll ask you to go back to your GP and they will refer you back to us again if and when appropriate. If this happens, our waiting times are short and we will see you as soon as possible.
Exceptions to the 18-week wait
There are occasions when it isn't appropriate for treatment to begin within 18 weeks of referral where:
a series of tests need to be done in sequence the patient and hospital specialist have agreed on a second opinion the patient is medically unfit there is genuine uncertainty about the diagnosis and the hospital specialist, in agreement with the patient, chooses to observe the patient over a period of time
More information
If you have any questions about the 18-week wait and how it affects your care please talk to a member of staff at your outpatient appointment.
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