HC Deb 30 November 2001 vol 375 cc1191-2W
Mr. Rosindell

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the average waiting time is for an A and E patient to see a doctor at Oldchurch hospital in Romford; and if he will make a statement. [14806]

Mr. Hutton

The information requested is not collected centrally.

Mr. Rosindell

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to improve waiting times for patients waiting to see a doctor in the A and E department of Oldchurch hospital in Romford. [14804]

Mr. Hutton

We are committed to resolving the issue of waits in accident and emergency and the NHS plan includes clear objectives for reducing inappropriate waits. By 2004, no patient will wait more than a total of four hours in accident and emergency from time of arrival to admission, transfer or discharge, with the average waiting time reduced to 75 minutes.

In February 2000, a toolkit for primary care groups was also issued by the NHS executive entitled "Tackling Waiting Lists Together". This guidance was aimed at general practitioner practices and primary care groups to advise them on the causes of waiting list problems and how to address them.

More recently, the NHS was instructed to use guidance drawn up by the NHS Modernisation Agency called the "Primary Targeting Lists Approach" to assist them in treating patients within the shorter maximum waiting times targets for 2001–02. The guidance gives NHS organisations the practical advice to treat patients in the right order within the maximum waiting times targets.

In addition, the chief executive and chief operating officer of the Department have written to chief executives of NHS organisations on a number of occasions re-emphasising the importance of delivery and the actions they should be taking to achieve them.

The guidance can be found at the following websites:

Oldchurch hospital, part of Barking, Havering and Redbridge hospitals national health service trust, has already received £868,000 from the accident and emergency modernisation fund. The trust will also receive a share of the additional £100 million announced last month to support the recently published reforming emergency care strategy.

Furthermore, efficiency within the accident and emergency department at Oldchurch hospital will be boosted by the additional £300 million announced in October to tackle nationally the persistent problem of bed blocking. Of the £100 million allocated so far, local authorities in the area have received just over £1 million.

The trust will also be supported by the London modernisation board access taskforce to tackle the issue of meeting four-hour trolley waits as a priority.