HC Deb 19 March 1968 vol 761 cc218-9
20. Mr. Dean

asked the Minister of Health whether he will give an estimate, to the latest possible date, of the number of adults and children, respectively, who are waiting for ear, nose and throat operations, indicating the average delay in each of the regional board areas.

The Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Health (Mr. Julian Snow)

Waiting list statistics do not distinguish between patients awaiting admission to hospital for operative and non-operative treatment nor show waiting time for admission for ear, nose and throat operations except those for tonsils and adenoids. I will, with permission, circulate the available information in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

Mr. Dean

Does the Parliamentary Secretary realise the disturbing situation that waiting lists for E.N.T., particularly for children, are tending to grow longer again? What is he doing to remedy this situation?

Mr. Snow

Urgent cases are admitted without delay. We also have to take account of the fact that this type of operation for adenoids and tonsils is a matter of some controversy—[Interruption.]

Mr. Speaker

Order. Back to Questions.

Waiting List Ear, Nose and Throat on 3ht December, 1966
Region Tonsils and Adenoids Other Total Median waiting time in weeks for tonsils and adenoids operations 1965
All Regions … … … 80,726 39,040 119,766 14.3
Newcastle … … … 2,316 1,529 3,845 9.5
Leeds … … … 6,148 2,800 8,948 18.6
Sheffield … … … 7,407 3,747 11,154 17.0
East Anglian … … … 1,886 730 2,616 13.1
North-West Metropolitan … … … 7,674 3,515 11,189 12.4
North-East Metropolitan … … … 5,233 2,430 7,663 13.1
South-East Metropolitan … … … 5,278 2,671 7,949 12.2
South-West Metropolitan … … … 4,756 2,287 7,043 14.3
Oxford … … … 2,915 1,894 4,809 16.8
South Western … … … 5,450 2,071 7,521 16.7
Welsh … … … 4,399 2,291 6,690 13.1
Birmingham … … … 10,021 4,398 14,419 15.7
Manchester … … … 11,710 5,532 17,242 18.2
Liverpool … … … 3,528 2,194 5,722 15.2
Wessex … … … 2,005 951 2,956 11.4