§ Simon HughesTo ask the Secretary of State for Health how many patients were referred by their GP for drug addiction treatment in the last two years. [121839]
§ Miss Melanie Johnson24,605 patients were recorded as being referred for drug treatment by general practitioners or psychiatrists in the last two years, to 31 March 2001, for which figures are available. However the actual number may be higher because over the same period the source of referral was not recorded in a further 19,223 cases.
§ Jane GriffithsTo ask the Secretary of State for Health whether the waiting time targets for(a) in-patient detoxification, (b) community prescribing by specialist, 639W (c) community prescribing by GP, (d) structured counselling, (e) structured day care and (f) residential rehabilitation have been met. [124076]
§ Miss Melanie JohnsonThe National Treatment Agency (NTA)'s April 2003 target of four or six weeks wait, depending on the type of treatment, has been achieved in most areas of the country and for most types of treatment. We are also on target to achieve the April 2004 target of a two or three week wait, again depending on the kind of treatment. However, average waits for in-patient detoxification and residential rehabilitation are both exceeding the national target by one week. Areas which exceed these averages are being targeted by the NTA.