§ Mr. RedmondTo ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list those hospitals which have contracts with purchasers to provide infertility treatments, giving their average and lengthiest waiting times for first appointment and commencement of treatment for(a) those on the hospital's own list, (b) those who are accepted for treatment unde a contractual agreement with a fundholding general practitioner and (c) those who are accepted under a contractual arrangement with a health authority outside its own area.
§ Mr. SackvilleThere is no central list of contracts agreed between purhasing authorities and hospitals. It is the responsibility of purchasing authorities to monitor the waiting times for treatment under the contracts they have agreed with hospitals inside or outside of the authority's area. Infertility treatment is not included on the list of procedures which a fundholding practice can purchase.
§ Mr. RedmondTo ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list the average waiting times for infertility treatment to begin at each hospital providing this service, in each year since services began.
§ Mr. SackvilleSuch information as is available is given in "Hospital Episode Statistics, Volume 2", copies of which are available in the Library.