§ Mr. AllenTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what improvements have been made to local health services available to people in Nottingham North since June 1997. [98324]
§ Mr. LammyIn March 1997 there were 3,653 patients at acute trusts in Nottingham waiting over 26 weeks for outpatients appointments. In December 2002 there were none. Similarly, there were 1,718 patients waiting over 12 months for inpatient appointments. In December 2002, there were only 28.
At Queen's Medical Centre, £5.5 million of capital expenditure has been invested in modernising accident and emergency services. Meanwhile, the primary care trusts covering Nottingham will each receive increases in funding of over 28 per cent. over the next three years, to help further increase life expectancy at birth and reduce premature deaths from cancer. This is just a small sample of investment in local modernisation.