§ 69. Mr. William Wellsasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the average delay in admission into hospital of cases, other than emergency cases, within the area of the Birmingham Regional Hospital Board; and what is the average delay for such cases in that part of this area for which the Walsall Hospital Management Committee is responsible.
§ Mr. AlisonStatistics are available from hospital activity analysis, and the following table shows the average time waited for admission by those patients who have completed their stay in hospital:
Speciality Regional average 1970 (weeks) Walsall Hospital Management Committee average 1971 (weeks) General surgery 16.1 26.4 Ear, nose and throat 24.8 37.2 Traumatic and orthopaedics 15.7 32.1 Ophthalmology 19.6 22.6 Gynaecology 12.5 26.6