§ Mr. HammondTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidance he has issued to NHS trusts with regard to the removal of patients from waiting lists for failure to attend; what change this represents over the policy prior to 1 May 1997; and what estimate he has made of the number of patients removed from waiting lists since 1 May 1997 as a result of such changes in guidance. [49108]
§ Mr. MilburnThe waiting list action team has reiterated existing guidance on validating waiting lists. There has been no new guidance or change in policy on the removal of patients from National Health Service waiting lists since 1 May 1997.
§ Mr. Alan CampbellTo ask the Secretary of State for Health how many hospital appointments were missed(a) at North Tyneside General Hospital and (b) nationally during 1997; and at what estimated cost. [49336]
§ Mr. MilburnFigures for non-attendance in hospital outpatients clinics at the North Tyneside Healthcare National Health Service Trust and for England for 219W 1996/97 are in the table. Information on the cost of non-attendance is not available, but the average cost of a hospital outpatient attendance is £61.
Non-attendances at consultant outpatient clinics in North Tyneside Healthcare NHS Trust and England, 1996–97, number and percentage Attendances North Tyneside Healthcare NHS Trust England First Number seen (000s) 29.3 11,298.3 Number that did not attend (000s) 3.2 1,347.6 Per cent. that did not attend 9.9 10.7 Subsequent Number seen (000s) 63.7 29,565.6 Number that did not attend (000s) 9.4 4,160.2 Per cent. that did not attend 12.8 12.3 Total Number seen (000s) 93.1 40,864.0 Number that did not attend (000s) 12.6 5,507.8 Per cent. that did not attend 11.9 11.9 Source:
DH publication, Outpatients and ward attenders for England, 1996–97