§ 38. Mr. Greyasked the Minister of Health if he will give the approximate number of persons waiting for hospital beds in the Northern Region; and how many of these have been waiting for three months, six months, nine months and for longer periods, respectively.
§ Mr. R. ThompsonInformation in the precise form requested is not available, but of the 24,000 people awaiting admission on 31st August about 13,000 had been waiting less than 4 months, 6,000 between four and 12 months and 5,000 over a year.
§ Mr. ThompsonIf the hon. Gentleman is speaking in terms of the national average, the Newcastle Regional Hospital Board's waiting list is almost identical, per thousand of population, with the national average.
§ Dr. SummerskillCan the hon. Gentleman say whether the breakdown of these figures gives a result comparable with that in the Midlands?
§ Mr. ThompsonNot without notice.