§ Mr. Bradleyasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the average weekly cost of keeping a patient in the City General Hospital and Royal Infirmary, Leicester; and what is the national average.
§ Mr. AlisonCosts for the financial year 1971–72 are not yet available. In 1970–71 the average cost per in-patient week for Leicester General Hospital was £64.35, and for the Royal Infirmary £66.60. The national average for all non-teaching hospitals similarly classified as "acute" and with more than 100 beds was £66.70.
§ Mr. Bradleyasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the average waiting time for patients to see consultants in the Leicester area.
§ Mr. AlisonAccording to the specialty concerned, waiting times for consultant appointments in the Leicester area vary from nil to 17 weeks. The median time for all specialties is four weeks. Urgent cases are seen immediately.
§ Mr. Bradleyasked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many people have been waiting longer than six months and 12 months, respectively, for admission to hospitals in the Leicester area.
48W
§ Mr. AlisonOn 30th March, 1972, of a total of 6,551 people who had been waiting six months or longer for admission to hospitals in the Leicester area, 4,666 had been waiting 12 months or longer.
§ Mr. Bradleyasked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many people were waiting admissions to hospitals in the Leicester area on the last date for which admission is available; and what was the figure for the past five years.
§ Mr. AlisonOn 31st March, 1972, 9,956 people were waiting admission to hospitals in the Leicester area. The corresponding figures for the previous five years are:
1971 10,479 1970 9,312 1969 9,332 1968 8,887 1967 7,992
§ Mr. Bradleyasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what has been the capital expenditure on hospitals in the Leicester area in each of the past five years; and what is the projected capital expenditure on hospitals in the Leicester area for the next five years.
§ Mr. AlisonThe information is as follows:
Hospital capital expenditure in the current year—1972–73—in these hospital management committee areas is estimated at £2,442,000. Estimates for subsequent years are not available.
CAPITAL EXPENDITURE ON HOSPITALS IN THE AREAS OF THE LEICESTER No. 1, No. 2, No. 3 AND No. 4 HOSPITAL MANAGEMENT COMMITTEES £000 1967–68 671.6 1968–69 803.6 1969–70 896.5 1970–71 1,161.7 1971–72 1,447.1
§ Mr. Bradleyasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he is satisfied with the level of hospital services in the Leicester area; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. AlisonI would refer the hon. Member to my reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Harborough (Mr. Farr) during the debate on the Consolidated Fund (No. 2) Bill on 20th March, 1972. 49W and the Adjournment debate on 14th December, 1971.—[Vol. 833, c. 1266–83; Vol. 828, c. 418–28.]