§ Mr. DismoreTo ask the Secretary of State for Health how many patients are on NHS waiting lists in the Barnet Health Authority area; how many were on such lists in May 1997; and if he will make a statement. [146509]
§ Mr. DenhamThe figures relate to the total inpatient waiting list. Data for May 1997 are not available as data were only collected quarterly at that point. Therefore data are provided for the two nearest quarter months for Barnet Health Authority:
Total inpatient waiting list—Barnet Health Authority Total March 1997 7,321 June 1997 7,198 November 2000 5,360 Source:
QF01 quarterly return/monthly returns
In 1999–2000 both inpatient waiting lists and the number of outpatients waiting over 13 weeks, nationally were reduced. This demonstrates that waiting is being attacked on a broad front, and one is not being reduced at the expense of the other.
The inpatient waiting list is currently 137,000 below the level inherited, and at September 2000, the number of outpatients waiting over 13 weeks fell by 9,000 since the last quarter.