 Reported waiting times in England also overstate the true waiting-time.This is because the clock starts ticking when the patient has been referred to a specialist by the GP and it only stops when the medical procedure is completed.The 18-week maximum waiting period target thus includes all the time taken for the patient to attend the first appointment with the specialist, time for any tests called for by the specialist to determine precisely the root of the patient's problem and the best way to treat it.