§ Mr. Pikeasked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many patients have been carried per division by the Lancashire ambulance service (a) as emergencies and (b) as hospital transport in each year since 1979; and if he will make a statement regarding the effects of the quota system.
§ Mrs. CurrieThe available information in respect of the whole of the Lancashire ambulance service is given in the table. Figures for 1986 are not yet available.
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Lancashire ambulance authority Number of patient-journeys1 Emergency 2Non-emergency 1979 53,758 601,593 1980 53,378 593,229 1981 53,181 564,131 1982 54,320 589,269 1983 54,959 624,547 1984 56,224 618,061 1985 56,888 621,404 1 One patient-journey means one patient carried in one direction, either to or from hospital. 2 Includes agency services, supplementary services, rail and air. Information is not collected centrally by division of the ambulance service. The hon. Member may wish to contact the chairman of the Preston health authority which is responsible for managing the Lancashire ambulance service.
Information on the operation of the quota system introduced in 1976 which applies to non-emergency patient journeys only can also be obtained from the Preston health authority.