§ Mr. WinnickTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what the average waiting time was at University Hospital, Birmingham for operations to remove a tumour in each of the last two years; and if he will make a statement. [135071]
§ Mr. DenhamWaiting list statistics are not recorded by specific clinical condition, rather by specialty. It is therefore not feasible to produce statistics for operations to remove tumours. Depending on the nature of the tumour (malignant/benign), the location of the tumour and the size of the tumour, the clinical priority on the waiting list for that patient can be different, with urgent cases treated before non-urgent.
Generally, the trust is well on target to achieve its end of year in-patient waiting list position.
§ Mr. WinnickTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent contacts his Department has had with University Hospital, Birmingham, over the waiting list for operations for the removal of a tumour; and if he will make a statement. [135070]
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§ Mr. DenhamThe West Midlands Regional Office of the National Health Service Executive holds regular review meetings with all acute trusts, including University Hospital Birmingham, where general waiting lists are discussed. The Trust is well on target to achieve its end of year in-patient waiting list position.
We are committed through the NHS Plan to cutting the maximum waiting time for in-patient treatment from 18 months now to six months by 2005. Latest figures show that around 70 per cent. of in-patients are seen within three months of going on a waiting list.