HC Deb 27 November 1980 vol 994 c157W
Mr. Gordon Wilson

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the waiting period overall for (a) coronary artery surgery and (b) heart valve surgery.

Sir George Young

Specific Information on waiting times for coronary artery surgery and heart valve surgery is not readily available and could not be obtained without disproportionate expense. In 1978, the mean waiting time in England and Wales for all operations on heart and intrathoracic vessels, based on a 10 per cent. sample, was 12.5 weeks. This figure does not include any time spent waiting for an out patient appointment.