HC Deb 04 July 1985 vol 82 cc245-6W
Mrs. Peacock

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will make a statement on the present average length of waiting lists for hospital outpatient appointments; and how this compares with the figure for each year since 1979.

Mr. John Patten

This information is not at present collected centrally. The Health Services Information Steering Group has, however, recommended in its first report a new annual district return to be submitted centrally to record, by specialty, the number of patients waiting for an outpatient appointment. Health authorities have been asked to plan on the basis that the steering group's first report will be implemented by April 1987.