§ Lord Colwynasked Her Majesty's Government:
- (a) how many patients have been diagnosed as having coronary artery disease at present;
- (b) how many patients are waiting to undergo bypass coronary artery surgery;
- (c) how many patients underwent such surgery in each of the years since 1977;
- (d) what is the death-rate per 1,000 of patients with diagnosed coronary artery disease; and
- (e) what is the death-rate of those awaiting bypass surgery.
§ The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Health and Social Security (Lord Trefgarne)I understand that the numbers of coronary artery bypass operations reported in each year to the United Kingdom Cardiac Surgical Register of the Society of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgeons were:
1977 2,875 1978 3,191 1979 3,538 1980 4,589 The last figure is the latest one available. I regret that the other information requested by my noble friend is not available centrally.