Belfast HSC Trust Average Endoscopy Waiting Times
Published Encompass data is subject to ongoing validation by each Trust.
What is an endoscopy?
An endoscopy is a procedure in which an endoscopist uses specialised camera instruments to examine parts of your upper and lower gastrointestinal tract. An endoscope is a flexible tube with an attached camera that allows your endoscopist to view the lining of your foodpipe, stomach, duodenum or your large bowel (gut).
What does this mean?
- Endoscopy average waiting times include all those patients who are waiting for their first endoscopy procedure.
- Some patients will wait less time than the average and some patients will wait longer than the average waiting time indicated.
- The data presented in the website reflects the average waiting time for those patients who are actively waiting for their appointment, procedure or endoscopy.
- Patients are being managed based on clinical urgency and therefore waiting times can vary depending on each patient’s clinical condition.
- Some services may be provided by a multi-disciplinary team e.g. doctor, consultant, specialist nurse.
- These endoscopy average waiting times excludes those patients waiting for a surveillance (those patients who are kept under review) appointment.
The different waiting times refer to the level of priority of the endoscopy type:
- Red Flag: These appointments are allocated to patients with suspected Cancer diagnosis and are the highest priority.
- Urgent: These appointments are allocated to patients with urgent care needs other than Cancer.
- Routine: These appointments are allocated to patients who require a non-urgent appointment.
Scopes A-Z
Please select the specialty you have been referred to or are under the care of from the list below.
If you are not sure which specialty you have been referred to, please check any letters or text messages that you have received from your hospital as this information should be included in these.
To note:
- If the average waiting time for a specialty and/or a priority is less than 1 week, this will be denoted as < 1 in the average weeks waiting.
- Where there is no current average waiting time for a priority, the priority for that specialty will not be reported.
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COLONOSCOPY
What is a Colonoscopy?
A colonoscopy is a test to check inside your bowels.
Priority Average Wait (Weeks) Red Flag 3 Urgent 42 Routine 88 -
FLEX SIGMOIDOSCOPY
What is a Flex Sigmoidoscopy?
A flexible sigmoidoscopy is an exam used to evaluate the lower part of the large intestine (colon).
Priority Average Wait (Weeks) Red Flag 3 Urgent 59 Routine 91 -
GASTROSCOPY
What is a Gastroscopy?
A gastroscopy is a test to check inside your throat, food pipe (oesophagus) and stomach, known as the upper part of your digestive system.
Priority Average Wait (Weeks) Red Flag 2 Urgent 47 Routine 76