Hospital Waiting Times

HC Deb 25 May 1994 vol 244 cc330-2

13. Mr. Graham

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement about waiting times for appointments and operations in health board areas in Scotland.

Mr. Stewart

At the end of 1993, 94 per cent. of patients had had their first out-patient appointments within 18 weeks following general practitioner referral—up from 92 per cent. the previous year. Ninety-two per cent. had waited less than 12 months for admission for treatment —up from 89 per cent. in 1992. Those are noteworthy achievements and I confidently expect further improvement as health boards work to reduce their waiting time guarantees.

Mr. Graham

We have heard of the terrible waiting times for constituents in need of hospital treatment. I am quite appalled. Why are the undertakings in the Prime Minister's citizens charter concerning consultant appointments and surgery not being honoured in my constituency or elsewhere in Scotland? I have here a document showing the appalling waiting times. People have to wait five or six months for a first appointment, and then months and months for critical operations. When will the Government get their finger out and ensure that people receive the treatment that they need and deserve?

Mr. Stewart

There has been a continuous and gradual reduction in waiting lists despite the 28 per cent. increase in the number of in-patients since 1979 and the 225 per cent. increase in the number of day treatments. Those are the real figures. In the case of the Royal Alexandra hospital trust in the hon. Gentleman's constituency, the waiting time for ophthalmology treatment is the lowest in Scotland. I accept that in the hon. Gentleman's constituency there has been a problem with regard to urology. This is a new specialty, and demand has exceeded supply. There have been higher than expected levels of activity. However, I assure the hon. Gentleman that these have been fully taken into account in the contract for the next year.

Mr. Burns

Does my hon. Friend agree that it is rather sad that certain Opposition Members cannot give credit for the improvements that the figures he has given indicate? Does he agree that the significant improvements in the health service in Scotland would be set back if there were a national minimum wage?

Mr. Stewart

My hon. Friend is absolutely right on both points. It constantly astonishes me that Opposition Members, while they say that they are committed to the health service, take every possible opportunity to criticise it and to create alarm and despondency where none should exist. I will give my hon. Friend an important figure: our public expenditure commitments will represent an increase of 2.5 per cent. in the number of day and in-patients in Scotland next year. That is a measure of the Government's real and practical commitment to the national health service in Scotland.

Mr. Charles Kennedy

Will the Minister ask his right hon. and noble Friend the Minister of State, who is responsible for health matters, to have specific discussions with the management of the NHS trust at Raigmore hospital in Inverness in view of that body's recent statement that it is having great problems with regard to recruiting and retaining specialists because of what it describes as national shortages in key clinical areas? This is creating very great concern and controversy in the highlands, and the Scottish Office must give it the utmost priority.

Mr. Stewart

I accept that the hon. Gentleman is representing his constituents with regard to this matter. I know that the point has been made to my right hon. and noble Friend the Minister of State, who will be in touch with the hon. Gentleman specifically concerning the point that he has raised.

Mr. Foulkes

Are not doctors being urged to discharge patients far too early in an effort to reduce the waiting list? Does the Minister recall that the figures that he gave me for Ayrshire showed a doubling in the number of top administrators in Ayrshire and a reduction of 300 nurses? That is what is happening in the health service. Is it not appalling that when the chairman of the South Ayrshire national health service trust, Douglas Brown, writes to me he talks about his enterprise and not his health care units?

Mr. Stewart

I do not know why the hon. Gentleman is so opposed to initiative and enterprise and to the effective use of resources in the health service. The effective use of resources will maximise the standards of care in the health service, which is the whole objective of the Government's reforms.