Presentations 2020: Ortho&Paeds

350 - Orthodontic Treatment in the CDS: 18 Week Referral to Treatment (RTT) Pathway Compliance – a Two Cycle Audit

CM HERSHAW
Presented by: Catherine Hershaw
Royal Gwent Hospital

Introduction: There are national aims to reduce the length of time a patient waits to receive medical treatment. Specifically, regarding orthodontic treatment, a patient should be seen for an initial orthodontic assessment within 18 weeks of referral. In Wales, there is an objective to prioritize patients and reduce waiting lists to ensure that patients receive a high standard of care. Methods: This audit established a standard that 90% of patients aged 8-18 years should be seen by an orthodontist within 18 weeks of being referred to the CDS. Retrospective data was collected by analysing 50 patient records over a period of 10 weeks per cycle. Cycle 1: 1st January 2019 to 12th March 2019 and Cycle 2: 1st June 2019 to 10th August 2019. The number of weeks were recorded between referral to the initial assessment appointment with an orthodontist. Results: In cycle 1, the proportion of patients seen within 18 weeks RTT was 86%. Therefore, the 90% standard was not met. The staff were informed of results and changes were recommended. It was advised to avoid automatically re-booking patients who fail to attend their first initial orthodontic assessment appointment. In addition, if a patient fails to attend twice in a row, they should be re-referred to avoid wasting initial assessment appointments. Furthermore, electronic referrals were introduced in June 2019 and staff training was given to ensure orthodontic referrals within the CDS were appropriate in an aim to reduce waiting lists. In cycle 2, the proportion of patients seen within 18 weeks RTT was 92%. In this cycle, the 90% standard was met. Conclusion: The electronic referral system has greatly improved the efficiency of processing orthodontic referrals. The restrictions placed on the electronic referrals prevent the referrer from submitting a referral unless the patient has reached the desired criteria for acceptance in a community dental setting. This has assisted in maintaining the 18 week RTT pathway.
Consent Statement: There are no details on individual patients reported within the abstract.

Poster