Our ref: DE00000425913

Dear Ms Shrive,

Thank you for your email of 29 June to the Department of Health about waiting times.

You have asked for clarification on NHS waiting times targets.  From I January, the standard minimum expectation of consultant-led elective services is that patients should wait no more than 18 weeks from the date they are referred by their GP until the start of their hospital treatment, unless it is clinically appropriate to do so or they choose to wait longer.  For the first time, this pledge includes all the diagnostic procedures and tests that lead up to treatment. 

Every Primary Care Trust and NHS Trust must strive to achieve this standard across all services and specialties, monitoring waits over 18 weeks so that patients do not wait for reasons other than choice or clinical exception.  If a patient does not receive treatment within the standard time, then he or she should make a formal complaint using the NHS complaints procedure.

Yours sincerely,

David Wilson
Customer Service Centre
Department of Health