HL Deb 21 January 1982 vol 426 cc691-2

3.9 p.m.

Lord Gisborough

My Lords, I beg leave to ask the Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.

The Question was as follows:

To ask Her Majesty's Government by how much the number of people waiting for admission to NHS hospitals has increased since 1979.

Lord Elton

My Lords, far from having increased, the figure for England and Wales has fallen from 791,949 on 31st March 1979 to 664,675 on 31st March 1981. That is a reduction of over 127,000.

Lord Gisborough

My Lords, I should like to thank my noble friend for that excellent, encouraging reply. It is quite a remarkable achievement at a time of such restraint. Could he give some indication of how this has been achieved, and at what cost?

Lord Elton

My Lords, the fall since 1979, when figures were affected by industrial unrest, reflects improved performance both by doctors and by other National Health Service staff. Indeed, 286,000 more patients were treated in hospital in 1980 than in 1979—an increase of 5 per cent. The earlier discharge of patients and the increased use of day surgery have probably played some part in this good result.

Lord Davies of Leek

My Lords, can the Minister say, without giving any party point of view, what part private hospitalisation has played in reducing that number?

Lord Elton

My Lords, the possible questions are so numerous that I have not the precise answer at my hand. However, I can tell the noble Lord the principle in outline, which is that this Government regard the private sector as assisting the public sector and do not see it as interfering in any way with the rights of citizens under the National Health Service, for which it provides important ancillary work.

Lord Winstanley

My Lords, is the noble Lord in a position to tell the House whether the situation with regard to waiting lists for out-patient appointments at hospitals is as good and as encouraging as that which he has given us for in-patient treatment?

Lord Elton

My Lords, on the question of waiting list cases, the latest figures are for 1978 and they show, based on a 10 per cent. sample, that 38 per cent. of male admissions were waiting list cases. The bulk of the others were emergency admissions. I am afraid that this is not a direct answer to the noble Lord's question and partly reflects the burden placed on the National Health Service by accidents on the roads, at work and in the home. A very high proportion of those come in as emergencies nowadays.

Lord Auckland

My Lords, while welcoming these figures, may I ask whether my noble friend can say what the situation is as regards the non-teaching hospitals, particularly in the so-called "grey" areas? Is there a reduction in the waiting lists in the non-teaching hospitals that is comparable with the reduction in the teaching hospitals?

Lord Elton

My Lords, I regret that my figures are not broken down in that way. I shall write to my noble friend.