Ms Sandra Broderick:

Regarding the validation process, the NTPF is the national validation unit. We would have a cycle of validations that we have heard in each individual hospital.

I completely understand why some patients on a waiting list would be frustrated on getting a letter. I reassure members that what we are doing is ensuring the patient still wants the treatment. We touch base with the patient to know they are still on the waiting list. This means our waiting lists become clean. When we set up the national validation unit in 2019, we had a removal rate of 24%, but this is now down to 15%. Our lists are really clean, which means that when the commissioning team in the NTPF steps in to make an offer, we know the patient will not say they would prefer not to have the treatment, do not want it or no longer want to be on the waiting list. While I understand the frustration over receiving letters, they are a necessary part of waiting list management.