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Article: 'Hidden' waiting lists are over, says Sturgeon
- Article from:
- The Scotsman
- Article date:
- September 20, 2007
- Author:
CopyrightCopyright 2007 The Scotsman. Provided by ProQuest LLC. (Hide copyright information)
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THE "opaque and secretive" system surrounding "hidden" NHS waiting
lists will end next year, Nicola Sturgeon told MSPs yesterday.
Ms Sturgeon, the secretary for health, outlined to parliament how
her party's earlier pledge to abolish availability status codes
(ASCs) would work in practice.
The codes are applied to patients in certain groups, such as those
who fail to show up for treatment, have a medical condition which
means they cannot be treated, or need highly specialised or low
priority treatment.
These patients are exempt from guarantees, which Ms Sturgeon said
resulted in many spending years waiting for treatment.
A new system in January 2008, will mean patients cannot be
excluded ...