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Offering a Quality Service: Adult Patient Experience of Assessment for Cochlear Implantation within the 18 Week Pathway

Abstract Since the end of December 2008, the minimum expectation of consultantled elective services is that no one should wait more that 18 weeks from the time they are referred to the start of their hospital treatment, unless it is clinically appropriate to do so, or they choose to wait longer. The 18 week pathway was implemented at the Emmeline Centre from the end of November 2007. This paper reviews the impact of the 18 week pathway on patients' perceptions of quality of service and the decision process. Questionnaires were sent to those patients whose assessment had been completed within the 18 weeks. Of the 43 patients sent a questionnaire, 21 were offered an implant and 22 were not, 24 were female and 19 male. This paper discusses patients' perceptions of their assessment as reflected in their questionnaire responses, focussing particularly on aspects of time as it might relate to decision making.