No patient should wait longer than 52 weeks for treatment from receipt of referral.

If the patient requires surgery as their treatment (therefore on an Admitted pathway) and there is a pause for patient choice, the pause is disregarded, so the full waiting time is counted.

Penalty
Hospitals who have patients who have waited over 52 weeks may incur a fine of £5,000 per patient per month that they have waited over 52 weeks.