The Scottish government has issued new guidance for prioritising patients as it seeks to restart after shutting down routine treatments earlier this year, while still dealing with a high number of covid patients.

The document sets out a clinical priority matrix that ministers say should deliver a ‘consistent national approach’ to people waiting for outpatient, diagnostic and surgical appointments.

NHS boards are being told that they must continue to actively manage waiting lists, checking back with patients that their condition has not worsened and escalating those in the greatest need.

They are also encouraged to send people for appointments in other health boards – including booking them in to the National Waiting Times Centre at the Golden Jubilee Hospital or the NHS Louisa Jordan in Glasgow.

Health Secretary Jeane Freeman says difficult decisions will continue to have to be made as clinicians and managers balance the demands of the pandemic with trying to restart treatment for people with other conditions:

“The framework gives our NHS boards clear guidance for clinically prioritising care which then determines the timeframe within which patients will be seen and treated making sure that those with the greatest clinical need are treated quickest.

“Using the framework will also ensure that patients are given a clear and realistic expectation of when they will receive their treatment and we will take steps to make sure that patients receive clear and timely communication for their own planned procedure.”

Ms Freeman says leaving it to clinicians to decide which planned procedures should come first is the safest and the fairest the way of making sure that those with the greatest clinical need are treated quickest.

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