title: Waiting times. Catch up, keep up.
abstract: Trusts vary greatly on their progress in achieving waiting-list targets, particularly for 2005. A study of trusts with a range of performances identified four key criteria: information use, managerial focus, capacity and long-term efficiency. Actions that help a trust 'catch up' rarely help them 'keep up; strategies may need to change once waiting lists have fallen markedly. Flexibility, forward planning and 'expecting the unexpected' are characteristics of successful trusts.
authors.affiliation: London School of Economics.
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Appleby
authors.forename: Seán
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Boyle
authors.forename: Nancy
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Devlin
authors.forename: Mike
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Harley
authors.forename: Anthony
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Harrison
authors.forename: Louise
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Locock
mesh_terms: D017598:Efficiency, Organizational; D006302:Health Services Research; D006779:Hospitals, Public / Q000458:organization & administration*; D010934:Planning Techniques; D013222:State Medicine; D006113:United Kingdom; D014850:Waiting Lists