FOI220692: RTT Pathways and C2 codes

Released 31 January 2023

Request:

1. In each weekly WLMDS collection from September 2022 to the most recent collection received, please provide the number of patient pathways reported as incomplete RTT pathways, catagorised by waiting time since RTT clock start in weeks, and also by clinical priority code (e.g. P1 to P6 and C1 to C4).
2. How many patient pathways have been given C2-C4 codes since the new RTT guidance was distributed in September/October 2022, and of those how many were the result of a clinical decision?
3. Does the Trust have a current policy or standard operating procedure, stating that a C2-C4 code must only be applied when a clinical decision is made to start a period of monitoring, or is it Trust policy that a C2-C4 code may be applied without such a clinical decision? Please supply a copy of the relevant policy or standard operating procedure.
4. Has the chief operating officer received, by any route from any representative of any NHS England office, any request to apply C2-C4 codes to patient pathways that a) are waiting longer than a stated threshold (e.g. 104 weeks or 78 weeks), or b) where no clinical decision has been made to start a period of monitoring? Please supply a copy of any such request.

Information disclosed:

1. Please refer to the attached report for the information requested.  P-category coding has been provided for inpatients by week for the period September – November 2022.  The data we hold relevant to outpatient activity is not coded in the same way, however, we have included total numbers for this period.  The Trust manages a dynamic waiting list, and patient priority classification can change throughout the pathway waiting time.  Any very long waits >104 weeks are due to patient choice or specialist capacity constraints.
   
   The Trust has a duty to safeguard the confidentiality of our patients under Data Protection legislation.  Where the number of patients in the attached report is equal to or less than 5, “<=5” has been indicated.  The Trust considers the disclosure of more specific information to be exempt under section 40(2) [personal information] exemption. The engagement of s.40(2) in this case is considered absolute and is not subject to further public interest considerations.
   
   With the above in mind, and to ensure our data is both meaningful and meets public interest considerations, we have included total figures in the report where possible.
2. None (nil); no patient pathways were given C2-C4 codes between September-November 2022.
3. No, though a policy is in development.

Attachment:

FOI220692 – Data ref (1MB)