§ Mr. Nicholas Wintertonasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what are the average waiting times for appointments with orthopaedic consultants for adults and children, respectively, in (a) the Macclesfield Health District, (b) the Cheshire Area Health Authority and (c) the Merseyside Region.
§ Mr. MoyleAverages are misleading, as patients requiring urgent treatment are seen without delay and waiting times for others vary according to individual circumstances. On 31st March 1978 the waiting times for non-urgent out-patient consultations were in the following ranges:
Macclesfield health district 1–12 weeks Cheshire area health authority 1–35 weeks Mersey regional health authority 1–35 weeks