§ 3. Mr. Andrew Robathan (Blaby)How many operations were cancelled at Leicester's general hospitals between (a) November 1998 and March 1999 and (b) November 1999 and March 2000. [122861]
§ The Minister of State, Department of Health (Mr. John Denham)The latest period for which information is available in the Department is the quarter ending December 1999. The number of operations cancelled at the last minute for non-medical reasons by hospitals covered by Leicestershire health authority in the period between October and December 1999 was 222. That was less than the 249 for the corresponding period in the previous year, although 2,775 more elective and non-elective cases were dealt with.
§ Mr. RobathanI am surprised that, with the army of bureaucrats behind the Minister, he could not find better answers. He could have read the Leicester Mercury of 3 May, which would have told him that 1,237 operations 146 were cancelled during that period—a 40 per cent. rise on the 755 that were cancelled during the whole of the previous year. Will the Minister explain to those 1,237 people—including my constituents—why they should believe anything that the Government say about the NHS, especially given his previous dissembling answer?
§ Mr. DenhamI am of course familiar with the report that appeared in the Leicester Mercury. If the hon. Gentleman had done a little homework, instead of relying on the newspaper, he would have realised that the figures he quoted were wrong. He quoted figures for operations cancelled during one year for all reasons—however long before the operation. For the previous year, he gave the figures—as I did—for those operations that were cancelled according to the standards set by the patients charter. As I pointed out, in the last quarter for which information is available, the number of operations cancelled according to patients charter standards—introduced by the previous Conservative Government—actually fell, even though the NHS in Leicestershire treated more patients. However, I am not complacent about that; I do not like any operation to be cancelled. That is why I welcome the recent announcement made by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State of £150 million investment in critical care facilities in the NHS in England. By tackling such problems, we shall ensure that more patients are treated and that operations are cancelled for fewer patients.