§ Mrs. EwingTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the average length of time which elapses between a general practitioner's recommendation for specialist
Average lengths of wait (days)1 for first consultant outpatient appointment, by specialty and health board of residence: quarter ending 30 September 19932 Specialty Scotland Argyll and Clyde Ayr and Arran Borders Dumfries and Galloway Fife Forth Valley Grampian Adolescent psychiatry 32 60 .. .. .. .. .. 21 Anaesthetics 84 86 52 .. .. 127 62 32 Cardiology 50 52 52 35 .. 48 36 57 Child psychiatry 62 75 26 27 .. .. 24 54 Clinical genetic 36 .. 42 .. .. .. .. 26 Communicable diseases 16 .. 13 .. .. .. .. .. Dermatology 55 52 53 48 47 59 73 60 ENT surgery 58 61 51 60 60 73 44 57 Gastroenterology 51 .. .. .. .. 34 .. 57 General medicine 38 46 52 28 35 49 45 37 General surgery 38 31 40 45 38 54 33 39 Geriatric assessment 15 11 40 .. 11 21 27 11 Gynaecology 43 35 50 29 69 46 54 46 Haematology 16 18 14 .. .. 23 11 11 Homeopathy 144 162 .. .. .. .. .. .. Medical oncology 11 .. .. — — .. .. 15 Medical paediatrics 44 28 56 29 41 56 35 52 Mental handicap 20 .. .. — .. .. .. .. Mental illness 29 27 43 16 8 35 36 21 Metabolic disease 38 35 .. .. — 39 .. 44 Nephrology 45 .. .. .. .. .. .. 18 Neurology 63 53 62 68 42 78 55 50 Neurosurgery 48 .. .. .. .. 43 .. 25 Obstetrics—specialist antena 23 20 13 30 33 18 20 27 Obstetrics—specialist postna .. — — — — — — .. Ophthalmology 57 45 72 84 37 56 52 51 Oral surgery and oral medicine 42 43 80 101 133 65 51 79 Orthodontics and paediatric dent 92 127 91 66 122 108 49 117 Orthopaedic surgery 46 58 36 30 87 50 38 65 714W
Specialty Greater Glasgow Highland Lanarkshire Lothian Orkney Shetland Tayside Western Isles Adolescent psychiatry .. — — 30 — — .. — Anaesthetics 96 .. 72 .. — — 122 .. Cardiology 51 .. 62 34 — — 92 .. Child psychiatry 70 — 134 — .. .. 72 — Clinical genetic 46 .. 34 46 — .. — .. Communicable diseases 18 .. 18 14 — — .. — Dermatology 55 58 49 59 .. 31 46 64 ENT surgery 59 46 67 56 25 28 51 27 Gastroenterology 77 — 72 30 — — 32 — General medicine 34 36 39 23 16 40 32 24 General surgery 38 45 35 39 9 22 32 13 Geriatric assessment 14 23 14 11 — — 7 — Gynaecology 55 41 45 34 27 40 25 29 Haematology 20 .. 20 11 — .. 22 — Homeopathy 131 .. 146 .. — — .. — Medical oncology .. .. .. .. — — .. — Medical paediatrics 53 51 47 27 .. .. 48 .. Mental handicap — .. .. .. — — 25 — investigation and the effecting of such consultations in each health board or health trust area in Scotland, in each specialty.
§ Mr. Stewart[holding answer 28 March 1994]: Information on the average waiting time for first corporation. out-patient consultations in the main specialties following GP referrals is set out in the "NHS Patient Treatment and Waiting Time Bulletin". Copies of the bulletin, which is published quarterly, may be found in the Library of the House.
The following table sets out the average waiting time for each specialty:
715W
Specially Greater Glasgow Highland Lanarkshire Lothian Orkney Shetland Tayside Western Isles Mental illness 45 18 28 20 .. .. 17 .. Metabolic disease 39 58 46 29 — .. 24 — Nephrology 56 .. .. .. — — .. — Neurology 59 .. 79 64 .. .. 92 .. Neurosurgery 74 33 81 41 — — 62 .. Obstetrics—specialist antena 24 20 18 28 .. .. 21 39 Obstetrics—specialist postna .. — — — — — — — Ophthalmology 73 80 47 70 26 60 31 35 Oral surgery and oral medicine 27 84 29 42 .. .. 18 .. Orthodontics and paediatric dent 73 100 107 87 .. .. 37 .. Orthopaedic surgery 43 64 44 39 20 52 47 52