§ Mr. Hodgsonasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what was the number on the waiting list at hospitals in the Walsall area health authority for surgical, medical and other kinds of operations or treatment at the most recent date available and at the equivalent date in 1976 and 1974.
§ Mr. Moyle, pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 26 January 1979; Vol.961, c. 281], gave the following information:
Number of patients on in-patient waiting lists at 31 December were as follows:
Specialty 1974 1976 1978 General Surgery 1,799 1,923 1,582 Ear, Nose, Throat 1,222 1,421 1,479 Trau. and Orth. 260 284 246 Ophthalmology 80 125 106 Dental surgery 379 416 256 Orthodontics — 11 — Gynaecology 338 495 478 Geriatrics — 17 69 Mental handicap 65 60 28 Total 4,143 4,752 4,244