§ Mr. ButlerTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what are the average waiting list times in days for National Health Service operations(a) nationally, (b) by regional authorities and (c) for Halton district health authority.
§ Mr. MellorThe available information in respect of in-patients treated in surgical departments in National Health Service hospitals during the financial year 1987–88 is given in the following table:
Median interval, in weeks, between the time an in-patient1 was placed on the waiting list and admission to hospital Location of hospital Weeks England 6.6 Northern Regional Health Authority 8.4 Yorkshire Regional Health Authority 6.3 Trent Regional Health Authority 5.1 East Anglian Regional Health Authority 6.4 North West Thames Regional Health Authority 4.4 North East Thames Regional Health Authority 5.9 South East Thames Regional Health Authority 7.7 South West Thames Regional Health Authority 9.7 Wessex Regional Health Authority 7.3 Oxford Regional Health Authority 7.4 South Western Regional Health Authority 7.0 West Midlands Regional Health Authority 6.0 Mersey Regional Health Authority 6.5 North Western Regional Health Authority 6.5 Halton District Health Authority 3.1 1 Ordinary admissions and day cases, booked and waiting list cases.