Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will take steps to ensure that administrative removals from waiting lists do not count towards the official waiting list numbers.

It is important that official waiting list data accurately reflects the true number of patient pathways that are waiting. Official figures should reflect all changes in the list including those which come about through administrative processes such as validation.

Validation is a well-established component of effective list management. By enabling trusts to have an accurate understanding of the true size of their waiting list, which in turn helps them to reduce missed or cancelled appointments, validation supports best use of clinicians’ time, ensures patients are on the best pathway for their needs, and reduces overall waiting times.

Reasons for removals through validation can be strictly administrative, such as the removal of duplicative records. However, validation also includes removals where a patient no longer needed their appointment or that a patient’s record had not been appropriately updated following treatment or other clinical decision. Importantly, any patient removed from the waiting list should be notified alongside their general practice.