HC Deb 21 March 1991 vol 188 cc177-8W
Mr. Morgan

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is the current cost of a replacement(a) knee and (b) hip operation carried out under specific earmarked Welsh Office contract funds at the treatment centre at the Prince of Wales orthopaedic hospital, Rhydlafar.

Mr. Nicholas Bennett

Current costs at the treatment centre, including all fixed and variable costs, are £2,463 for a hip replacement and £3,163 for a knee replacement.

Mr. Morgan

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is his estimate of the numbers of adults in Wales waiting for replacement (i) hips and (ii) knees for periods of more than four months(a) in the last full year before the setting-up of the treatment centre at the Prince of Wales orthopaedic hospital, Rhydlafar and (b) the present year.

Mr. Nicholas Bennett

Information is not collected in the form requested, although it was estimated, at July 1989, that some 935 patients were waiting four months or more for hip and knee replacement operations.

Mr. Morgan

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is his estimate of the length of the four months plus waiting list for artificial(a) knees and (b) hips for the year 1991–92.

Mr. Nicholas Bennett

The information is not collected in the form requested.