§ Mr. Staintonasked the Minister of Health how many persons are on the waiting lists for admission or treatment as out-patients, separately, at the Ipswich and Bury St. Edmunds hospitals, respectively; and what are the waiting periods 385W for appointments with orthopaedic and surgical specialists and consequent admissions at each hospital.
§ Mr. K. RobinsonThe numbers of persons on the waiting lists for admission as at 31st October, 1966, were 1,926 and 605, respectively. Information on the numbers of patients waiting for outpatient appointments is not readily available. The waiting times for out-patient appointments for orthopaedic patients are 7–12 weeks and 4 weeks, respectively; for general surgery patients 4–10 weeks and 2 weeks, respectively. The waiting time for consequent admissions varies from a few days to several months at Ipswich Hospital depending upon degree of urgency. At Bury St. Edmunds Hospital it is 2 weeks for orthopaedic and up to 3 months for general surgery patients. Emergency cases are admitted without delay at both hospitals.