§ Mr. BercowTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what the average change in waiting times for heart surgery has been since May 1997. [134742]
§ Mr. DenhamThe average time patients waited for an operation involving the heart fell from 15 weeks at March 1997 to 14 weeks at December 1999 (latest data available).1
The National Service Framework sets out a 10-year programme to transform the treatment of people with heart disease. An extra £230 million a year is being invested in heart disease services by 2004, backed up by an extra £120 million spending on equipment. The NSF pledge to carry out 3,000 more heart operations by 2002 has now been boosted by a further £10 million for another 3,000 procedures. This programme of expansion means that the maximum waiting time for routine cardiac surgery will fall to six months by 2005 and to three months by 2008.
1 HES data relate to the average time waited by patients for elective admission during particular periods. Unlike published waiting list statistics, this is not adjusted for self-deferrals or periods of medical/social suspension. The answer uses HES data, although Korner data are usually used to answer average waiting times questions. However, Korner data are collected by consultant speciality only, and it is not possible to identify data relating specifically to heart surgery.