HC Deb 22 February 1994 vol 238 cc142-3
11. Mr. Clappison

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what progress has been made in the North West Thames region in increasing the proportion of hospital treatment carried out on a day case basis.

Mr. Sackville

Since 1979, the number of day case patients has risen from 37,000 to 132,000.

Mr. Clappison

I thank my hon. Friend for that encouraging reply. Is not it the case that day surgery has many clinical benefits and allows resources to be used to treat more patients? Given that there is still scope for more day case surgery in inner London, and given the relative cost of hospital treatment there, would not it be desirable for London hospitals to make further progress with day surgery and allow resources to be released to serve patients in the rest of the Thames regions?

Mr. Sackville

I agree with my hon. Friend. Day surgery is popular with patients and is now recognised as the best procedure for many surgical interventions. The fact that it has gone up so fast in the North West Thames region is good news for my hon. Friend's constituents and good news for the region, and I defy any Labour Members to say anything different.