§ Mr. VazTo ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people are currently on all local health authority waiting lists for neurology operations in England and Wales; and how long patients have to wait for their operations in this department.
§ Mrs. Virginia BottomleyAt March 1990, the latest date for which information is available centrally, there were 3,721 patients on neurosurgery in-patient and day case waiting lists. What matters more than total number on the list is the time patients have to wait. The proportion of patients waiting more than 12 months in neurosurgery has fallen from 27 per cent. in March 1989 to 25 per cent. in March 1990. In addition, the number of patients treated per year in this specialty has risen by 6 per cent. from 39,500 to 41,700 in the same period.
§ Mr. VazTo ask the Secretary of State for Health how many representations he has received regarding waiting lists for neurosurgery.
§ Mrs. Virginia BottomleyWe have no record of any representations about waiting lists for neurosurgery in the 12 months ending 13 November 1990.