§ Mr. Peter Walkerasked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) what figures are available for the waiting time and waiting lists and admissions to hospitals in the Hereford and Worcester Area Health Authority; what steps she has taken to reduce these waiting lists; and if she will make a statement;
(2) what is the number of waiting days that non-urgent general surgical patients have to wait for an operation in the Worcester hospital district; and how this compares with the number of days they had to wait in 1973 and 1974.
§ Dr. OwenThe following table sets out waiting lists by major specialties for the four health districts as at 30th September 1975.
605WUp-to-date details of waiting times and admissions are not readily available and in present circumstances the staff time required to produce them would not be justified.
The West Midlands Regional Health Authority is considering priorities for capital investment within the Region and will take into account shortages of facilities which contribute to high waiting lists.
My right hon. Friend issued advice to health authorities in August 1975 on the reduction of waiting lists and waiting times. I would refer the right hon. Gentleman to her reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Westhoughton (Mr. Stott) on 5th August. In 1975–76 she also made for the first time a special capital allocation to each RHA to be used on schemes aimed at reducing waiting lists.
In the short term the situation is bound to be seriously affected by the industrial action being taken by hospital doctors. No improvement can be expected until normal working is resumed.—[Vol. 897, c. 122–3.]