§ Mr. Dobsonasked the Secretary of State for Social Services when health authorities completed their administrative reviews of hospital waiting lists; what is the average estimated reduction which will result from this review, and when the first half yearly figures published by his Department will reflect the effects of the review.
§ Mr. WhitneyThe effective validation of waiting lists is a difficult management task calling for a sensitive approach to many patients, following consultation with and the full co-operation of the medical profession at local level. Many health authorities were unable to complete the exercise to an adequate standard by the original deadline of 30 March 1985. They were, therefore, asked to ensure that this was done by 30 September 1985 and to prepare plans for the regular validation of waiting lists in future. The extent of changes due to validation depends upon previous local arrangements for maintaining lists and upon how particular authorities chose to carry through the exercise, and cannot be identified separately from changes that would have occurred in any case. It is not possible, therefore, to estimate reliably the effects nationally. The effect of the full exercise will be reflected in the figures for waiting lists at 30 September 1985 which will be published in the spring of 1986.