Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to introduce waiting times targets for respiratory conditions for (1) diagnosis, and (2) treatment.

There are existing operational standards and targets for elective care services, including for respiratory services. For patients referred for non-urgent, consultant-led treatment, the waiting time target is 18 weeks from the day the appointment is booked or when the hospital or service receives the referral letter. The waiting time target for diagnostic tests is six weeks.

The operational standard states that less than 1% of patients should wait six weeks or more from referral for a diagnostic test and less than 92% of patients should wait 18 weeks or more from referral for consultant-led treatment.