§ 31. Mr. Michael J. MartinTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what steps he is taking to reduce the national health service waiting lists for patients awaiting heart bypass operations in Scotland.
§ Mr. Michael ForsythAn additional 90 open-heart cardiac surgery operations are to be performed by Greater Glasgow health board in 1991–92. These additional operations will bring the annual number of cardiac surgery operations in Glasgow to 1,930 and to a record level of more than 3,050 in Scotland. This expansion raises total expenditure on this programme to £19.93 million. This increase in the number of operations to be performed will bring a welcome reduction in waiting times for patients.