Waits for outpatients, elective surgery and audiology are a longstanding problem in ENT. The Audit Commission tracked the waits experienced by a sample of patients who received routine ENT and audiology treatment in 2001, analysed national data about ENT services in England, and sought the views of patients and general practitioners (GPs).
The study was carried out in collaboration with the NHS Modernisation Agency's programme Action On ENT. The two projects complement each other. The Audit Commission looked at what actually happened as patients travelled through the process of diagnosis and treatment in ten ENT services in 2001, analysed demand and capacity for all ENT services in England and sought the views of patients and general practitioners (GPs). Action On ENT, launched at the same time, focused on how to improve the delivery of ENT and audiology services. The Action On ENT programme published Good Practice Guidance in October 2002.