§ Mr. Gordon Wilsonasked the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) what is the waiting period, respectively, in Edinburgh, Glasgow, Dundee and Aberdeen for (a) coronary artery surgery and (b) heart valve surgery; and what action is being taken to reduce the waiting period;
(2) what is the waiting period overall for (a) coronary artery surgery and (b) heart valve surgery.
§ Mr. FairgrieveThe latest information readily available centrally relates to the year 1979. The following table shows the average waiting times in days in respect of patients discharged from hospitals during that year. The surgical teams concerned are making every effort to reduce these waiting times, and additional facilities are to be provided in Edinburgh and Glasgow.
1979 Coronary artery surgery Heart valve surgery Edinburgh 30 52 Glasgow 113 148 Dundee — — Aberdeen 31 — Scotland 87 108 Note: Information as to how long a patient has waited for an operation becomes available centrally only when he is discharged from hospital.
§ Mr. Gordon Wilsonasked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many surgical operations for (a) coronary artery surgery and (b) heart valve surgery were carried out respectively, in Edinburgh, Glasgow, Dundee, and Aberdeen in 1978 and 1979.
§ Mr. FairgrieveThe information requested is given below: