HC Deb 20 June 1979 vol 968 cc596-7W
Mr. Chris Patten

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many patients were awaiting admissions to National Health Service hospitals in England and in Great Britain at the latest date for which figures are available; how many of these patients in England had conditions classified as urgent; and what proportions had to wait for over one month for treatment.

Dr. Vaughan

On 30 September 1978 there were 628,361 patients awaiting admission to National Health Service hospitals for in-patient treatment in England. At the same date, the figure for Scotland was 62,239 and for Wales was 34,357. In England, 44,118 of the patients waiting had conditions which were classified as urgent and of these 29,147 had waited for more than one month.