§ Mr. Loydenasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the number of people on the waiting list for orthopaedic surgery in the Liverpool area health authority region.
§ Mr. John PattenThe number of persons on the orthopaedic inpatient waiting lists in NHS hospitals in Liverpool district health authority on 31 March 1984 was 1,500. In general, figures on waiting lists are believed to include a significant proportion of duplicated entries and patients who no longer require treatment. The amount of over-statement cannot be readily estimated but is thought to exceed 10 per cent. nationally and could be considerably more. About half of all admissions to hospital are immediate and many of those on waiting lists already have a planned date of admission.