Under-pressure NHS Fife is battling higher waiting lists, after being inundated with ever-increasing patient referrals.
During September more than 12,000 people were referred for an outpatient appointment, 923 more than the same month the previous year. The health board has seen a steady increase in numbers over the last year, as referrals have increased by 1,116 to more than 146,000.
This year The Courier revealed that the number of Fife patients waiting more than 12 weeks to see a consultant had trebled in a year, rising from 180 in April 2012 to 552 in April this year.
This continued, rising to 587 in August, before dropping to 471 the next month.
Although more new attendance patients have been seen, it appears not to have been enough to balance the increase in referrals, as the total number of people waiting at consultant-led specialities has risen sharply.
Compared to one year ago the number of those waiting rose by 20,000 to 163,000, the highest amount in any one-year period since the 12 months ending March 2011.
NHS Fife Information services officer Scott Wilson told members of the Acute Services Committee: “We are under pressure in trying to achieve national targets. The increase in referrals from approximately two years ago to the last 12 months has been by roughly 4%.
“The population of Fife in that same period of time has only increased by approximately 0.4%, so it’s not a population issue. The only other issue we could possibly look at is a change in demographics and the amount of elderly patients. There has been a general increase in referrals that does put pressure on the system.”
NHS Fife Board member John Winton said he was confident that NHS Fife had the problem in hand.
He stated: “There are obviously more people going for outpatient appointments of a higher percentage than which the population has gone up. This will happen because as more people get older, you’re going to get more people going.
“I believe the health board seem to be watching where the problems are and taking action to try and put them right.”