What is a National Treatment Centre?
The National Treatment Centres (NTCs) are a network of healthcare facilities across Scotland.
NTCs provide extra capacity for planned:
- inpatient care
- day case treatment
- diagnostic services
Aims of NTCs
NTCs will be a national resource which should:
- increase the ability of patients to access treatment
- increase flexibility for patients accessing treatment
- support regional working across territorial NHS health boards
Where are the NTCs?
The NHS Golden Jubilee Eye Centre began treating patients in November 2020.
NTC Fife Orthopaedics began treating patients in March 2023.
NTC Highland began treating patients in April 2023.
There are also 2 NTCs currently under construction which are due to open in 2023. These centres are in:
- NHS Forth Valley - Larbert
- the expansion of the NHS Golden Jubilee in Clydebank
Treatments available at NTCs
You may be offered treatment at an NTC if you're on the waiting list for:
- Endoscopy
- General Surgery
- Ophthalmology
- Orthopaedics
When you'll be offered an appointment at an NTC
Your local health board will always try to offer you an appointment in your local area. However, you may be offered treatment at an NTC to ensure you're seen as quickly as possible. This'll be the case even if your local health board doesn't have an NTC.
The decision to offer treatment at an NTC will be made by clinicians. They'll take your treatment type and ability to travel into account. If you're offered treatment at an NTC, you'll be notified by your local health board as soon as possible.
It's important that you consider all offers of appointment made by your health board and that you make every effort to accept these. If you refuse 2 or more reasonable offers, which will include an NTC appointment, the health board may refer you back to your GP.