Waiting Lists

HC Deb 03 June 1957 vol 571 cc895-6

41. Sir H. Linstead

asked the Minister of Health if he will give comparable figures for hospital waiting lists for 1954, 1955 and 1956.

Mr. Vaughan-Morgan

Altogether, 474,000 patients were on waiting lists on 31st December, 1954, and 455,000 a year later. The provisional figure for 1956 is 430,000.

Sir H. Linstead

While these figures are extremely gratifying, can my hon. Friend say whether they run fairly regularly over the whole field or whether there are still specialties, for example, tonsilectomy, where the improvement has not been shown?

Mr. Vaughan-Morgan

There has been an improvement in the E.N.T. section. There has been quite a substantial fall. That is, however, still the longest waiting list—that and general surgery.