HC Deb 15 January 1996 vol 269 cc347-8W
Mr. Milburn

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what has been the level of waiting list initiative funding and how many patients have been treated(a) by region and (b) by district and in each year since its inception. [9513]

Distribution of central waiting times fund 1987–1994
Allocations (£000s)
1987–88 1988–89 1989–90 1990–91 1991–92 1992–93 1993–94 Total
Northern 1,700 1,925 1,737 1,798 1,665 2,216 3,002 14,043
Yorkshire 1,757 2,097 2,538 2,017 2,178 2,659 3,562 16,808
Trent 2,650 2,895 2,489 2,923 2,779 3,307 3,988 21,031
East Anglia 1,018 1,046 1,327 1,135 2,099 1,846 1,939 10,410
North-west Thames 1,590 2,316 2,428 1,690 2,768 3,549 5,230 19,571
North-east Thames 2,070 2,767 3,400 3,808 4,769 3,169 4,083 24,066
South-east Thames 2,040 2,350 2,653 2,738 3,909 3,562 5,220 22,472
South-west Thames 1,330 2,013 1,674 2,138 2,938 2,332 3,172 15,597
Wessex 1,400 1,609 1,518 2,024 2,217 2,317 2,875 13,960
Oxford 1,010 1,163 992 1,638 1,733 2,056 2,604 11,196
South Western 1,650 1,915 1,665 1,546 2,137 2,773 3,537 15,223
West Midlands 3,120 3,354 3,250 4,472 4,440 3,424 4,780 26,840
Mersey 1,350 1,693 1,925 1,515 2,300 2,272 2,579 13,634
North Western 2,295 256 2,407 2,860 2,735 3,344 4,311 18,208
Special Health Authorities 140 301 200 420 530 662 2,253
Miscellaneous 266 498 518 249 147 1,678
Total 24,980 27,539 30,570 33,000 39,605 39,605 51,691 246,990

Mr. Milburn

To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what information his Department holds on the proportion of waiting list initiative funding that has been spent in the private sector; [9538]

(2) what monitoring is undertaken of clinical standards for the private sector in respect of patients being treated under the waiting list initiative. [9517]

Mr. Horam

Information on the proportion of waiting list initiative funding spent in the private sector is not available centrally. Monitoring of the standard of care, wherever it is provided, is a matter for the relevant purchaser.

Mr. Horam

A national waiting time fund existed from 1987–88 to 1993–94. Distribution was to regional health authorities and details of the allocations made are shown in the table. Information on allocations to districts is not available centrally.

The numbers of patients treated under waiting list initiatives are not separately identified. From September 1987 to September 1995 the number of patients waiting more than 12 months has reduced from 209,440 to 27,900 and the number waiting more that two years has fallen from 90,470 to nil.