Waiting times for consultant appointments and operations/procedures

Dear Royal Devon and Exeter NHS Foundation Trust,

I wish to make a request for information under the Freedom of Information Act and the Environmental Regs (should the latter apply).

In essence I am looking for information on the current state of waiting lists across as wide a range of 'conditions' at the RD&E as is reasonably possible.

My formal request is that I would wish to know what information you hold on waiting times for consultant appointments and also the waiting times for subsequent operations/procedures. Please provide an outline of the categories for which there are waiting lists at the RD&E Wonford and Heavitree hospitals along with minimum/maximum and average waiting times for consultant appointment and for any subsequent operation/procedure. It would be helpful to know whether such times are reducing, static or growing.

At a more specific level please provide minimum and maximum waiting times, for initial consultant appointment and for any subsequent procedures, for cancer referrals, for knee and hip surgery, for cardiac procedures, for spinal procedures and cataract procedures.

Please explain how waiting times calculated, when the clock starts etc? Please also advise on the factors which might influence a patient’s place on any waiting list, e.g. time appointment requested, patient availability, age, fitness for procedure, any urgency identified by GP etc.

What freedoms/opportunities exist for the RD&E to reduce waiting times, for example by the NHS buying procedures from private providers, appointments at other NHS resources etc.

Finally what procedures do you have, if any, to keep the patient informed of any waiting times that may apply to them.

Please do not hesitate to make contact if you require clarification on any part of my request.
Thank You

Yours faithfully,

Tim Todd

Freedomofinformation (ROYAL DEVON AND EXETER NHS FOUNDATION TRUST), Royal Devon University Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust

Dear Mr Todd,

Freedom of Information Act 2000/Environmental Information Regulations 2004
Reference Number: F2292.

Thank you for your request, which was received the Royal Devon and Exeter NHS Foundation Trust on 05/11/2019.

We are processing your request in accordance with the Trust’s Freedom of Information Act 2000 and Environmental Information Regulations 2004 Procedures. You are entitled to receive our response as soon as possible, but by no later than 03/12/2019.

If you have any further queries or would like to discuss this further, please do not hesitate to contact us.

Kind regards

Kind Regards
Caroline

Caroline Renton
Senior Information Governance Officer
Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital
Area Q1 Room C
Tel 01392 403467

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Dear Freedom of information (ROYAL DEVON AND EXETER NHS FOUNDATION TRUST),

I should be most grateful if you could expedite this request as it is now overdue.

If your reply is being held up by the lack of an element, please feel free to respond with what you have at present and follow up with remainder as soon as possible.

Thanks

Yours sincerely,

tim todd

Freedomofinformation (ROYAL DEVON AND EXETER NHS FOUNDATION TRUST), Royal Devon University Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust

Dear Mr Todd,

I have requested this information be available as soon as possible on the Web site. Our team do not control this, and can only request for the release of information from the Department. I will however endeavour to keep you informed as soon as I can when the information will available.

Kind Regards

Caroline Renton
Senior Information Governance Officer
Area Q1 Room C
Tel 01392 403467

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Freedomofinformation (ROYAL DEVON AND EXETER NHS FOUNDATION TRUST), Royal Devon University Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust

Freedomofinformation (ROYAL DEVON AND EXETER NHS FOUNDATION TRUST) would like to recall the message, "FOI F2292 - Waiting lists".

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Dear Royal Devon and Exeter NHS Foundation Trust,

Please pass this on to the person who conducts Freedom of Information reviews.

I am writing to request an internal review of Royal Devon and Exeter NHS Foundation Trust's handling of my FOI request 'Waiting times for consultant appointments and operations/procedures'.

The time allowed by the FOI Act has expired yet you appear unwilling to respond whilst apparently admitting that you have the information requested.

Please adhere to the Act and provide the requested information. The Act does require you to provide it promptly in the first instance.

A full history of my FOI request and all correspondence is available on the Internet at this address: https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/w...

Thank you

Yours faithfully,

Tim Todd

Freedomofinformation (ROYAL DEVON AND EXETER NHS FOUNDATION TRUST), Royal Devon University Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust

Dear Mr Todd,

Many apologies for the confusion with the Email you received from us this morning informing you of the information waiting to be placed on the Website. This was sent in error and was recalled immediately. This was no in reference to your Freedom Of Information request Reference F2292.

We apologise that the date for response to your Freedom Of Information request Ref F2292 request has now gone over the deadline. This is because the information you have requested is particularly voluminous/complex, and we were unable to supply you a response, within the original 20 working day deadline. However we wish you to be aware that we are still actively looking into your request. We will therefore endeavour to provide you with a response to your questions as soon as possible.

If after receiving our Trust response, you are still requesting a need for an internal review, we will then look into this for you.

Kind regards

Information Governance Office
Royal Devon & Exeter NHS Foundation Trust, Barrack Road, Exeter, EX2 5DW

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Dear Freedom of information (ROYAL DEVON AND EXETER NHS FOUNDATION TRUST),
Thank you for your response.
I am very keen not to impose any great burden on you in generating a reply. I had rather hoped that most of the information would be at your finger tips.
You are most welcome to contact me to see if I can change any part of my request to reduce any additional work generated by the request.

Yours sincerely,

Tim Todd

Freedomofinformation (ROYAL DEVON AND EXETER NHS FOUNDATION TRUST), Royal Devon University Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust

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Dear Mr Todd,

Freedom of Information Act 2000/Environmental Information Regulations 2004
Reference Number: F2292.

We are writing in response to your request for information, which was received by the Royal Devon and Exeter NHS Foundation Trust on 05/11/2019.

Please find the Trust’s response to your request, attached. Apologies again for the dely in response to your request.

If you are in any way dissatisfied with how your request has been handled, please let us know by responding to this email and requesting an internal review. All internal reviews are conducted by the Trust’s Information Governance Manager in accordance with the Trust’s Freedom of Information Act 2000 and Environmental Information Regulations 2004 Procedures. Complainants who remain dissatisfied with the Trust at the end of the internal review procedure have the right to take their complaint to the Information Commissioner’s Office.

I hope this information is of assistance to you.

Kind Regards
Information Governance team
Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital

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