§ Lord Jacobsasked Her Majesty's Government:
(a) how many National Health Service patients had hip replacements in 2003; (b) what is the estimated length of time that patients have to wait for such an operation; and (c) what is the estimated number of patients awaiting hip replacements at present. [HL4929]
§ Lord WarnerThe number of patients who had hip replacement operations performed in National Health Service hospitals in 2002–03 was 68,059.
Based on returns for activity carried out in hospitals during 2002–03, the median time waited for patients who had a hip operation in 2002–03 was 229 days.
Information on waiting times for people currently waiting for a hip operation is not collected centrally.