In December 2023, NHS England published an update on planning for 2024/25 which states “the priorities and objectives set out in 2023/24 planning guidance and the published recovery plans on urgent and emergency care, primary care access, and elective and cancer care will not fundamentally change.”
We assume this to mean that the current NHSE guidance on the management of PTL inflation and validation will remain unchanged.
What does this mean for NHS Trusts?
The NHSE guidance on validation is that each pathway is to be validated at 12, 26 and 52 weeks (and each 12 weeks thereafter) and it is clear there is still an expectation for Trusts to minimise their RTT PTL size and maximise their performance.
However current national RTT data reveals that the average sized acute NHS Trust has circa 53,000 patients on their RTT PTL. Within a 1-month period, circa 20% of the pathways on the PTL will fall within the 12, 26, 52 and 12 weeks thereafter bandings. With a PTL of 53,000 this represents circa 11,000 validations that are required each month to meet the NHSE guidance.
To deliver that quantity of validations would require around 10 full-time validators, whilst still leaving 80% of your PTL unvalidated each month, and a large volume of pathways remaining on the PTL who should not be included in RTT reporting.
Apart from the obvious bad press caused by missing targets on NHS waiting lists, the potential impact on patient health caused by significantly delayed assessment or treatment makes data validation vital for all NHS Trusts.
How do you adhere to the NHSE validation guidance, whilst still ensuring your RTT PTL is accurate?
We are hosting a webinar on 31st of January 2024 which offers attendees a clear understanding of the trends in the national RTT PTL position, the effect inflation can have on the waiting list, and how to optimise your validation function to ensure a highly accurate waiting list with the minimum time, effort, and spend.
It is FREE OF CHARGE and open to all NHS staff who are involved or interested in the management of RTT patients, particularly in regard to ensuring an accurate RTT PTL through focused validation.