The Department of Health today published the quarterly Northern Ireland Inpatient, Day Case, Diagnostic and Outpatient Waiting Times Statistics, relating to the position at 30 June 2023.

The Waiting Times Statistics releases show detailed information on the number of people waiting for a first consultant-led outpatient appointment, a diagnostic test and inpatient or day case treatment at hospitals in Northern Ireland.

Waiting Times for a First Outpatient Appointment

• The draft 2023/24 target relating to outpatient waiting times states that by March 2024, at least 50% of patients should wait no longer than nine weeks for a first outpatient appointment, with no patient waiting longer than 52 weeks.
• 416,022 patients were waiting for a first consultant-led outpatient appointment, 3.7% (14,821) more than at 31 March 2023 (401,201) and 10.1% (38,265) more than at 30 June 2022 (377,757).
• The median waiting time was 52.4 weeks and the 95th percentile was 251.6 weeks (approximately 4 years and 43 weeks).
• 82.1% (341,715) of patients were waiting more than 9 weeks for a first consultant-led outpatient appointment, a higher proportion than 81.3% (326,241) at 31 March 2023 and 81.6% (308,304) at 30 June 2022.
• 49.0% (203,682) of patients were waiting more than 52 weeks for a first consultant-led outpatient appointment, a slightly lower proportion than 49.2% (197,345) at 31 March 2023, and 51.5% (194,685) at 30 June 2022.

Waiting Times for Inpatient and Day Case Admission

• The draft 2023/24 target, for inpatient and day case waiting times, states that by March 2024, 55% of patients should wait no longer than 13 weeks for inpatient or day case treatment, with no patient waiting longer than 52 weeks.
• 119,095 patients were waiting to be admitted for inpatient or day case treatment in Northern Ireland, 2.3% (2,784) fewer than at 31 March 2023 (121,879), and 6.6% (8,446) fewer than at 30 June 2022 (127,541).
• The median waiting time was 58.3 weeks and the 95th percentile was 273.3 weeks (approximately 5 years and 13 weeks).
• 77.8% (92,713) of patients were waiting more than 13 weeks to be admitted for treatment, a slightly higher percentage than that at 31 March 2023 (77.4%, 94,305) and a lower percentage than at 30 June 2022 (80.2%, 102,310).
• 52.8% (62,856) of patients were waiting more than 52 weeks to be admitted for treatment, a slightly lower percentage than 52.9% (64,513) at 31 March 2023, and 55.8% (71,210) at 30 June 2022.

Waiting Times for a Diagnostic Service

• The 2023/24 draft target for diagnostic waiting times states that, by March 2024, 75% of patients should wait no longer than nine weeks for a diagnostic test, with no patient waiting longer than 26 weeks.
• 188,881 patients were waiting for a diagnostic test, 9.0% (15,639) more than at 31 March 2023 (173,242), and 13.5% (22,471) more than at 30 June 2022 (166,410).
• 55.5% (104,776) of patients were waiting more than 9 weeks for a diagnostic test, a higher percentage than 51.7% (89,587) at 31 March 2023 and 52.6% (87,480) at 30 June 2022.
• 28.2% (53,298) of patients were waiting more than 26 weeks for a diagnostic test, a higher percentage than 26.8% (46,511) at 31 March 2023 and 27.1% (45,082) at 30 June 2022.

Diagnostic Reporting Turnaround Times

• The draft 2023/24 target for diagnostic reporting times states that, by March 2024, all urgent diagnostic tests should be reported on within two days of the test being undertaken.
• 458,178 diagnostic tests were reported on and dispatched to the referring clinician at hospitals in Northern Ireland during the quarter ending June 2023. Of these, 22.4% (102,450) were urgent tests and the remaining 77.6% (355,728) were routine tests.
• Of the 102,450 urgent diagnostic tests, 78.7% (80,654) were reported on within 2 days.