HC Deb 02 May 1995 vol 259 cc179-80W
Mr. Milburn

To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) on how many occasions each family health services authority failed to provide a list of doctors within two working days to patients wishing to change general practitioners in each of the last eight quarters; [22095]

(2) on how many occasions each family health services authority failed to send a patient's medical records to his or her new general practitioner (a) within two working days for urgent cases and (b) within six weeks for all other cases in each of the last eight quarters. [22094]

Mr. Malone

Nationally, there has been a considerable improvement in meeting the patients charter standard for transfer of urgent and routine medical records. The percentage of patient records not transferred within two working days has fallen from 52 per cent. at 30 June 1993 to 16 per cent. at 31 December 1994. Those not transferred within six weeks has fallen from 34 per cent. to 19 per cent. for the same period.

At 30 June 1993, 2 per cent. of patients were not allocated to a general practitioner within two days and at 31 December 1994 the patients charter was fully met for the third successive quarter.

The information will be placed in the Library showing the performance of individual family health services authorities in meeting each of the patients charter standards for the period 1 April 1993 to 31 December 1994. Data to 31 March 1995 are not yet available.