HC Deb 21 July 1986 vol 102 cc95-6W
Mr. Dobson

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) if he will give the number of people on the waiting lists for acute surgery every six months since 30 September 1982 for (a) each district health authority and special health authority in Greater London, (b) the health authorities in Greater London added together and (c) the health authorities in Inner London added together;

(2) if he will give the number of people on in-patient waiting lists every six months since 30 September 1982 for (a) each district health authority and special health authority in Greater London, (b) the health authorities in Greater London added together and (c) the health authorities in Inner London added together.

Mr. Whitney

I shall let the hon. Member have a reply as soon as possible.

Mr. Favell

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what further action he is taking to reduce waiting lists for National Health Service patients.

Mr. Fowler

The record of the Health Service in increasing the number of patients treated is excellent. Since 1978 the number of in-patient cases treated in English hospitals has increased from 5,370,000 to 6,178,000; day case attendances have gone up from 562,000 to 903,000; and out-patient attendances have increased from 33,950,000 to 37,043,000. These figures are all new records for the National Health Service.

Waiting lists have also come down. In England at 31 March 1979 they stood at 752,422. By September 1985 they had fallen to 661,249. This was in spite of industrial action in 1982 following which waiting lists rose by about 100,000 cases.

Further progress, however, is needed. In some places and for some kinds of treatment, people are having to wait too long. I have therefore asked the chairmen of the regional health authorities to initiate a new drive on long waiting lists and waiting times. I envisage action continuing over the next three years. The chairmen have been asked to start the process by reviewing the waiting lists and times for in-patient treatment in every district in the country. They have also been asked to review waiting times for out-patient treatment. Where these are unsatisfactory, they will ask the districts to establish why this is so, and to decide what needs to be done to improve matters. The regional health authorities will report by the end of October on the results of the review and on the proposals for action which they have agreed with the districts. Further action will then be put in hand.

Experience in a number of districts which have acted to reduce their waiting lists has shown that reorganisation and better co-ordination of existing resources can bring lists and waiting times down. Better planning of the use of staff, operating theatres and beds can enable more patients to be treated.

For example, NHS staff have already done much, by changing methods and introducing new techniques, to enable patients to be treated as day cases and to reduce lengths of stay in hospital. By these and other means further progress will be possible.

I know that health authorities share my view that we should make a sustained attack on long waiting lists and times.