Mr. John D. TaylorTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many people are currently waiting for cardiac operations at the Royal Victoria hospital, Belfast; what is the average waiting time; and what proposals there are to reduce the waiting time for such operations.
§ Mr. NeedhamAt 30 June, 1988 there were 733 people waiting for cardiac operations at the Royal Victoria
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Academic year (a) By age (b) By sex (c) Country of origin 20 and under 21-24 25 and over Men Women United Kingdom Other 1982–83 22,683 5,615 1,626 14,596 15,328 29,182 1742 1983–84 20,411 5,895 1,980 13,550 14,736 27,568 1718 1984–85 21,540 6,244 1,818 14,148 15,454 28,924 678 1985–86 22,168 6,704 2,019 14,342 16,549 29,921 970 1986–87 22,551 7,071 2,239 14,436 17,425 30,595 1,266 1 Estimated. hospital, Belfast. Information on average waiting times is not collected, but of the 733 patients on the waiting list, 354 have been waiting for less than one year. As part of a range of measures designed to reduce waiting times I have recently announced that a £1.3 million capital scheme will be undertaken in 1989 to expand the post-operative recovery facilities at the Royal Victoria hospital from eight to 12 beds. A comprehensive review of adult cardiology services in the Eastern board areas has also been carried out by a committee under the chairmanship of Sir John Badenoch. The committee's report, which recommends measures to increase the number of heart operations at the Royal Victoria within existing resources, has been accepted for implementation and will be reflected in the board's operational plans for 1989–90.