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Waitlist Validation & Data Linkage

Reference: 24-25299

Date response sent: 18/11/2024

Details of enquiry

  1. How is waitlist validation carried out in your Trusts? Please select one of the following options: Manually / Semi-automated / Automated.

a. If your response was semi-automated or automated, which tools do you use?  Please specify the types of tools or software used.

2. How many FTEs currently work on waitlist validation and what band are they? Please specify the number per band.

3. How has your FTE count working on waitlist validation increased in the past 2-3 years? Please provide an estimate if you do not have the exact number.

4. In the past 12 months, approximately how long has the waitlist validation process taken? Please provide an estimate if you do not have the exact number.

5. What data quality issues have been identified the most frequently as part of the waitlist validation process? Please select those that apply from the list below:

a. Decision to admit but no waiting list entry

b. Missing waiting list or pathway information (e.g. due date, intended procedure)

c. Patients on an admitted waiting list without an active RTT (Referral to Treatment Pathway) clock

d. Past TCI (To Come In) dates

e. Potential duplicates

f. Other – please specify

6. What are your current approaches to linking data? Please select one of the following options: Manually or semi-automated / Automated

7. What is the proportion of data linkage that is manual and automated? Please provide an estimate if you do not have the exact number.

a. If automated, what tools are used? Please provide the name of the tools.

b. If manual, what tools are used e.g. R, data bricks? Please provide the name of the tools.

8. Currently, is the data linking process cumbersome? Please select one option: Yes/No

9. And does it take away from people’s everyday role? Please select one option: Yes/No

 

Response sent

  1. How is waitlist validation carried out in your Trusts? Please select one of the following options: Manually / Semi-automated / Automated.

a. If your response was semi-automated or automated, which tools do you use?  Please specify the types of tools or software used.

The Trust uses Carenotes Electronic Patient Record and Power BI tools to capture waiting times. We are currently migrating the manual process as a form on CareNotes to automate the rest of the Patient Tracker List Process. In addition we are implementing a digital system to support waiting times management using a patient portal.

  1. How many FTEs currently work on waitlist validation and what band are they? Please specify the number per band.

We do not have a specific workforce performing waiting list validation as our operational administrative staff fulfil this function as part of a wider role.

This data is not recorded by the Trust, so we are unable to run any electronic reporting to deduce WTE from the hours worked on waitlist validation.  Please note that the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) applies to recorded information that exists at the time of the request.  It does not require an authority to answer questions where this would involve speculation and/or the creation of new information, and this question can only be answered by creating new information.

  1. How has your FTE count working on waitlist validation increased in the past 2-3 years? Please provide an estimate if you do not have the exact number.

See our response to Q2 above. We have anecdotal evidence that in Gender and Trauma departments, additional time may be spent on managing waiting lists but this may not necessarily be directly on wait list validation.

  1. In the past 12 months, approximately how long has the waitlist validation process taken? Please provide an estimate if you do not have the exact number.

At the Tavistock and Portman NHS foundation Trust this is a continuous process until this is fully automated – we cannot quantify the hours spent as this is part of business as usual activities

  1. What data quality issues have been identified the most frequently as part of the waitlist validation process? Please select those that apply from the list below:

a.         Potential duplicates

  1. What are your current approaches to linking data? Please select one of the following options: Manually and Semi-automated
  2. What is the proportion of data linkage that is manual and automated? Please provide an estimate if you do not have the exact number.

The Trust does not hold this data.  Please note that the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) applies to recorded information that exists at the time of the request.  It does not require an authority to answer questions where this would involve speculation and/or the creation of new information, and this question can only be answered by creating new information.

a. If automated, what tools are used? Please provide the name of the tools.

CareNotes and Power BI

  1. Currently, is the data linking process cumbersome? Please select one option:

Yes

  1. And does it take away from people’s everyday role? Please select one option: Yes/No

Yes

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