§ Mr. Peter Robinsonasked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will give full details for each hospital concerned regarding the number of patients on each hospital waiting list; what treatment is required; and what steps are being taken to reduce these figures.
§ Mr. John PattenThe most recent date for which returns are available is 31 December 1980 at which time the numbers of patients on each hospital waiting list were as follows:
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Board and Hospital Number on Waiting List Eastern Downe 569 Northern Ireland Radiotherapy Centre 45 Ulster 2,403 Lagan Valley 449 Ards 919 Bangor 520 Claremont Street 22 Mater 497 Royal Belfast Hospital for Sick Children 528
Board and Hospital Number on Waiting List Royal Victoria 3,271 Belfast City 1,404 Musgrave Park 4,553 Samaritan 148 Eastern Board Total 15,328 Northern Coleraine 87 Route 142 Dalriada 67 Moyle 295 Whiteabbey 145 Mid-Ulster 121 Massereene 5 Waveney 642 Northern Board Total 1,504 Southern South Tyrone 431 Craigavon Area 1,624 Banbridge 37 Cowan Heron 3 Lurgan 9 Daisy Hill 252 Southern Board Total 2,356 Western Altnagelvin 632 St Columb's 39 Roe Valley 116 Tyrone County 846 Erne 273 Western Board Total 1,906 Northern Ireland Total 21,094 It is not possible to identify the treatment required by patients on hospital waiting lists, but I can indicate the numbers waiting for treatment in each hospital specialty. This was as follows at 31 December 1980:
Specialty Number on Waiting List General Medicine 28 Paediatrics 84 Radiotherapy 45 Dermatology 13 Neurology 57 Cardiology 300 Rheumatology 28 General Surgery 5,006 ENT 3,996 Trauma and Orthopaedic Surgery 5,293 Ophthalmology 749 Plastic Surgery 1,872 Thoracic Surgery 59 Neuro Surgery 133 Dentistry 829 Gynaecology 2,381 Other Specialists Units 221 Total 21,094 These figures represent a 15 per cent. reduction since June 1979. I am exploring what further steps can be taken to reduce waiting lists and I hope to make a statement in the near future after the Department has examined the new statistics.