§ Mr. MichaelTo ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people with glaucoma and diabetes received free eye tests in each district health authority area in England(a) in each quarter in 1988–89 and (b) in each quarter in 1989–90.
§ Mrs. Virginia BottomleyStatistics prior to 1 April 1989 were not broken down by patient group. Since then family practitioner committees have collected data on sight tests paid for under the general ophthalmic services on a six-monthly basis. District health authorities do not collect such information. The table gives estimated numbers by patient group and regional health authority for the period in question.
NHS sight tests paid for during April–September 1989: RHA Diabetics/Glaucoma sufferers Northern 5,410 Yorkshire 8,900 Trent 15,660 East Anglia 3,200 North West Thames 6,700 North East Thames 9,700 South East Thames 11,900 South West Thames 6,450 Wessex 8,290 Oxford 5,250 South Western 8,750 West Midlands 10,200 Mersey 3,940 North Western 9,830 These figures are based on a 2 per cent. sample of national health service sight test application forms processed by family practitioner committees. They do not take into account sight tests paid for after 1 April 1989 but conducted before that period.