§ Mr. Kilroy-Silkasked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) what is the average waiting time for children with heart disorders for (a) cardiac catheterisation and (b) major heart surgery, nationally, in the North-West and in Liverpool, respectively;
(2) if the waiting time for children awaiting cardiac catheterisation and major heart surgery in the North-West
Catheterisation Major Surgery Liverpool Royal Liverpool Children's Hospital … 234 49 Other Hospitals … Victoria Hospital, Blackpool … 55 Nil Manchester Royal Infirmary … 14 Nil Wythenshawe Hospital, Manchester … Nil 8 Royal Manchester Children's Hospital … 46 9 It is estimated that at hospitals elsewhere in the country approximately 1,000 children are currently awaiting treatment at paediatric cardiology units.
§ Mr. Kilroy-Silkasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he is satisfied with progress in the last year in dealing with children with congenital heart disorder more speedily.
§ Dr. OwenFair progress is being made. At a number of major centres the number of operations has significantly increased and waiting lists are now reasonably satisfactory. In a few centres, however, waiting times are still too long but action is in hand to improve matters over the next few years.
§ Mr. Kilroy-Silkasked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many children on the Liverpool waiting list with 620W and Liverpool has decreased in the last year; and, if so, by how much.
§ Dr. OwenAt the Royal Liverpool Chidren's Hospital, which is the main centre in the North-West for treating paediatric heart disorders, average waiting times have declined in the past year from about 15 months to 12 months for catheterisation and from about 12 to three months for major heart surgery. The reduction in the waiting time for catheterisation would have been even greater had it not been for the recent closure of the laboratory at the hospital in order to install new equipment.
Directly comparable figures for other hospitals in the North-West and nationally are not readily available.
§ Mr. Kilroy-Silkasked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many children with congenital heart disorder are waiting for cardiac catheterisation; and how many are awaiting major heart surgery (a) nationally, (b) in the North-West and (c) in Liverpool.
§ Dr. OwenFollowing are numbers of children on waiting lists in Liverpool and other hospitals in the North-West as at 17th May 1976:
congenital heart disorder have received treatment elsewhere in order to obtain treatment earlier than would otherwise have been the case; and how many have gone abroad.
§ Dr. OwenArrangements have been made during the past year for two children on the waiting list for paediatric cardiology at the Royal Liverpool Children's Hospital to have confirmatory investigations elsewhere, one in London and one in France.
§ Mr. Kilroy-Silkasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will detail the improvements that have been made in facilities in the last year (a) nationally, 621W (b) in the North-West and (c) in Liverpool for dealing with children with congenital heart disorders.
§ Dr. OwenImprovements which have been made, some of which have been funded from non-exchequer sources, are as follows:
- (i) Hospital for Sick Children—Establishment of Vandervelle Chair of Cardiology;
- (ii) Hospital for Sick Children—Special recurring revenue allocation of £20,000 additional annual cost of the use of disposable oxygenators and Hanock valves;
- (iii) National Heart and Chest Hospitals—Upgrading of minor theatre III to major theatre;
- (iv) Guy's Hospital—Accommodation provided in new tower block;
- (v) Humberside AHA—Provision for four intensive care unit beds;
- (vi) Kensington, Chelsea and Westminster AHA (T)—Upgrading of wards in two districts and centralisation of cardiovascular unit service in one ward in another;
- (vii) Hillingdon AHA—Redecoration of department of paediatric cardiac surgery and provision of new infusion pumps;
- (viii) East Anglia RHA—Replacement of equipment in catheterisation laboratory;
- (ix) South Western RHA—Movement of department from Bristol General to Bristol Royal Infirmary with consequent improvement in physical facilities;
- (x) Birmingham Children's Hospital—Improvements to air-conditioning in cardiac theatre, improved accommodation for heart-lung machine technicians, various major items of equipment totalling £20,000;
- (xi) Southampton Western Hospital—purchase of sophisticated equipment;
- (xii) Trent RHA—Ordering of new investigation equipment for Northern General Hospital, Sheffield, and progress towards the provision of new faciliities at Leicester;
- (xiii) Northern RHA—Progress towards completion of new hospital at Freeman Road, Newcastle;
- (xiv) Mersey RHA—Liverpool—Increased monitoring equipment in theatres and provision of new equipment in catheterisation laboratory;
- (xv) North Western RHA—Improvements to theatres at Manchester Royal Infirmary.