Released 26 June 2024
Initial request received 16 May 2024 (our reference FOI240152
HoLEP (Holmium Laser Enucleation of the Prostate) procedure
- The number of patients that are currently on the waiting list for this operation at Southland hospital from March 2023 to March 2024?
- What is the average waiting time for the operation from referral to the actual date of the operation.
- Is in the practice for Southland Hospital to arrange for NHS patients to undergo this operation at a private hospital?
Assistance provided to applicant under S16 (duty to assist) on 29 May 2024:
The Trust’s surgery leads have informed us that while patients may be seen in clinics at other Trust sites, the HoLEP procedure itself is only carried out at either Worthing Hospital, Worthing or the Princess Royal Hospital, Haywards Heath.
We are happy to provide the requested information on this basis, but in case these sites operate separate waiting lists can you please confirm if you would like information relevant to Worthing Hospital or Princess Royal Hospital?
Further to this, the Trust uses the ICD-10 (International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision) classification system which outlines coding used across the NHS that contains codes for diseases, signs and symptoms, abnormal findings, circumstances and external causes of diseases or injury. Coding taken from the ICD-10 is used to extract and report specific data from the Trust’s patient administration systems.
Our coding leads have indicated that there isn’t a specific code for the HoLEP procedure, however, we can provide data relevant to broader coding that may also include other laser prostate procedures.
For this reason, we will only be able to provide the approximate number of patients currently waiting for the HoLEP procedure.
Are you happy to receive data on this basis?
With regard to question 3 of your request, the Trust does not currently arrange for NHS patients to undergo this operation at a private hospital.
Reply received from applicant on 30 May 2024:
Happy to take data from Worthing Hospital only.
I have the data from PRH.
In line with the section 45 FOI Code of Practice, the revised request was allocated a new reference number (our reference FOI240219) and the statutory deadline reset.
Information disclosed:
- As at 5 June 2024, there were 52 patients awaiting this procedure at Worthing Hospital.
- The average wait time between referral and operation is 28 weeks.
- No, the Trust does not currently arrange for NHS patients to undergo this operation at a private hospital.