There is good news and not so good news for Dorset County Hospital NHS Trust.
There A&E target completion are very good but their cancer and planned operations and care targets completion not so.
The A&E target
DCH is 2nd best in the country.
The way the A&E target is measured is almost identical. In each case services across the UK are given four hours in which to treat and discharge or admit or transfer a patient.
They are all expected to do that in 95% of cases, although ultimately Scotland wants it services to get to 98% once 95% is achieved. There are also slight differences in the way the start time is measured. (BBC)
The cancer target
DCH’s cancer targets fall well short of the average and are 15% lower than the top trust in the country.
There are similarities in the way cancer care is measured. Each expects patients to be treated within 62 days of an urgent referral. (BBC)
The planned operations and care target
DCH again fall well short and is actually one of the worst performing hospitals in the country.
The one that varies the most is for planned hospital care, which is also known as non-emergency treatment.
In England, Wales and Scotland the target measures the point at which you get a referral from your GP to the point when your treatment starts – in effect the whole patient journey.
In Scotland and England services have 18 weeks. (BBC)
