• The total number of patients waiting for treatment at the end of September 2007 was 35,918.

• This total has decreased by 677 (-1.8 %) compared with the previous quarter (end of June 2007) and has decreased by 4,823 (-11.8 %) over the year (compared with the end of September 2006).

Patients waiting six months and over

• At the end of September 2007, there were 336 patients waiting six months and over for Inpatient treatment.

Completed Inpatient Waits (including those who failed to attend or who were deferred)

• A total of 45,972 inpatients were admitted to hospital during the September 2007 quarter. This figure includes all activity commissioned by the Health Service in Health and Social Services (HSS) hospitals and also includes inpatient activity, commissioned by the Health Service that is undertaken by the independent sector at locations other than HSS hospitals.

• The total number of people waiting for a first outpatient appointment at the end of June 2007 was 86,659.

• This total has decreased by 7,769 (-8.2 %) compared with figures for the previous quarter (end of June 2007) and has decreased by 90,849 (-51.2%) over the year (compared with the September 2006 quarter).

Patients waiting three months and over

• The number of patients waiting three months and over for a first outpatient appointment stood at 10,457 at the end of September 2007, 12.1 % of the total number waiting. Seven Patients were waiting six months and over for their first outpatient appointment.

Completed Outpatient Waits for a First Appointment (including those who failed to attend or who were deferred)

• A total of 116,240 patients attended a first outpatient appointment during the June 2007 quarter. This figure includes all activity commissioned by the Health Service in HSS hospitals and also includes outpatient activity, commissioned by the Health Service that is undertaken by the independent sector at locations other than HSS hospitals.

• The sources for the data contained in this release are the Charter Monitoring Returns CH1, CH2, CH3 and CH4. These returns collect information from Hospital Trusts on a quarterly basis.

• Figures include all privately funded patients waiting for treatment in Health Service hospitals and those patients who are resident outside Northern Ireland.

• Data include some estimates and incorporate all returns and amendments received from HSS Trusts and Boards up to 26th November 2007.

• Ordinary admissions include both (a) patients admitted electively with the expectation that they will remain in hospital for at least one night, and (b) nonelective admissions (e.g. emergency admissions). A patient who is admitted with either of the above intentions, but who leaves hospital for any reason without staying overnight, is still counted as an ordinary admission. Day cases are not included.

• Day Cases are patients admitted electively during the course of a day with the intention of receiving care who do not require the use of a hospital bed overnight and who return home as scheduled. If this original intention is not fulfilled and the patient stays overnight, such a patient is counted as an ordinary admission.

• The waiting list inpatient figures presented include people waiting to be admitted as inpatients either as day cases or ordinary admissions. They do not include:

• Patients admitted as emergency cases;

• Outpatients;

• Patients undergoing a planned programme of treatment e.g. a series of admissions for chemotherapy;

• Maternity (specialties 510 and 520);

• Patients already in hospitals but included on other waiting lists;

• Patients who are temporarily suspended from waiting lists.

• An outpatient appointment is to enable a patient to see a consultant or member of his firm.

• The waiting list figures include all outpatients who have not had their first appointments by the end of the quarter.

• Outpatient waiting list figures presented do not include maternity specialties 510 (Obstetrics (Ante Natal)) and 520 (Obstetrics (Post Natal)).