Question reference: S5W-30785
- Asked by: Tom Mason, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
- Date lodged: 17 July 2020
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Current status: Answered by Joe FitzPatrick on 7 August 2020
Question
To ask the Scottish Government what action it will take to improve the waiting times specifically for new patients receiving a first appointment for chronic pain services, in light of the latest available figures reportedly indicating that the target waiting time is only being met 60.5% of the time.
Answer
On 31 May we published the “Re-mobilise, Recover, Re-design: the framework for NHS Scotland” that supports Health Boards to plan the phased restoration of postponed NHS services. Health Boards and partners are currently undertaking the safe and phased re-start of many hospital elective and primary care services (in line with the above Framework and clinical guidance) – this includes pain clinics. We’ve been actively engaging with the pain community and stakeholders including patient groups since March, and will continue to do so throughout the resumption of services to inform the re-design of patient pathways that will seek to harness the benefits of new technology to improve access and deliver more person-centred care.