Waiting list announcement - Patient Initiated Digital Mutual Aid System (PIDMAS)

Eligible patients will be directly contacted via SMS text or letter from Tuesday 31 October 2023 to offer this option. While many patients may be deemed eligible and appropriate, there may not always be alternative capacity to allow a move in all circumstances. Also, some patients may be deemed clinically inappropriate to move due to health reasons. Previously patients may have already been contacted and a request made to gain current circumstances and treatment wishes. To avoid confusion this process is separate and you should consider this information in addition.

Anyone who does opt for treatment elsewhere will be kept informed of progress and the next steps will be communicated following clinical review.

Alternative healthcare settings

There are a range of alternative healthcare settings where treatment may be provided. This includes Nuffield Health, Winfield Hospital and Ramsay Winfield Hospital as well as further afield. However, this is subject to clinical review, your medical condition, capacity available, your personal circumstances etc.

I want to be considered for care elsewhere

If you want to be considered to receive care elsewhere, please follow the instructions on your text or letter by either visiting the website address or contacting the national helpline.

If you require any further information about receiving care elsewhere before making a decision, you can call Gloucestershire Hospital NHS Foundation Trust on 0300 422 6724, where we can explain the process further. The phone line is open 8am to 4pm Monday to Friday, with extended hours until 6pm on Monday and Wednesday. The phones are also operated on Saturdays between 8am to 1pm.

Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust are sorry for the delay to your treatment and are continually reviewing the waiting list and working hard to reduce waits. As such, you may have already been contacted asking for your current circumstances and treatment wishes. In addition to the initial review and contact made, you have now been identified as a patient who has been waiting over 40 weeks and so is eligible to be considered for treatment/ care at another hospital.

Eligible patients

Patients invited to consider care/treatment at an alternative provider have to meet specific criteria which is mandated by NHS England. The criteria is detailed as:

• Patients referred to routine elective, consultant led services.
• Waiting over 40 weeks
• Patients on an admitted pathway who have had a decision to admit (DTA), but without a TCI date within the next 8 weeks
• Patients on a non-admitted pathway who have not yet had a first outpatient appointment and have not got an appointment date within the next 8 weeks
• Patients who are not a tertiary referral
• Are not under the age of 18
• English Commissioner.

FAQs

To help patients better understand how this programme may work for you we have compiled a frequently asked questions (FAQs).