We follow the NHS England National Referral to Treatment (RTT) standards. Our patient access policy covers all stages of the 18 week Referral to Treatment pathway from referral through to discharge back to primary care, including our patients being managed on pathways subject to National Cancer Waiting Times.
18 Week Patient Pathway
We aim to ensure our patients have a choice of appointment or admission date and they see the right professional in the minimum waiting time. Providing timely access to care is central to improving quality, both by ensuring care is received when it is most needed, and by contributing to a positive patient experience.
Fair access to secondary care services improves patient flow across the whole of the NHS. Our Patient Access Policy aims to balance the requirements of providing highest quality of care whilst ensuring continuous improvement.
We ensure the management of patient access to services is transparent, fair, and equitable and managed according to clinical priority. The patient access policy applies to all administration and clinical prioritisation processes relating to patient access including outpatient, inpatient, day case and diagnostic services.
It is followed by all staff at Barnsley Hospital who are responsible for referring patients, managing referrals or adding to and maintaining waiting lists for the purpose of progressing a patient through their 18 week Referral to Treatment or cancer pathway.