§ Mr. Campbell-SavoursTo ask the Secretary of State for Health for each health authority covering the Kent area (1) what is the most recent figure for the number of people on the day patient waiting list;
(2) what was the number of people on the in-patient waiting list in (a) March 1979, (b) March 1989 and (c) September 1990.
§ Mrs. Virginia BottomleyThe information requested and the latest information available at March 1990 is given in the table. It is the time patients wait which is important, not total numbers on the list. In the 12 months to March 1990, the number of patients waiting over a year for in-patient treatment in South East Thames as a whole fell by 1 per cent. The number of day cases waiting over a year fell by 4 per cent. in the same period. Since 1979 the region has increased the number of in-patients treated by 23 per cent. and the number of day cases by 96 per cent.
Number of patients on the day case waiting list at 31 March 1990 in Kent: District health authority Number on list1 South East Kent 851 Canterbury and Thanet 46 Dartford and Gravesham 1,499 Maidstone 1,236 Medway 665 Tunbridge Wells 1,264 Bexley 699 Bromley 1,009 1 Excludes self-deferred cases.
Number of patients on the in-patient waiting list at 31 March 1979, 31 March 1989 and 31 March 1990 in Kent: Number1 of patients on list at 31 March District health authority 1979 1989 1990 South East Kent 3,135 3,043 2,804 Canterbury and Thanet 4,633 4,722 5,507 Dartford and Gravesham 4,067 4,219 4,398 Maidstone 2,474 3,382 4,058 Medway 2,516 3,549 4,105 Tunbridge Wells 6,482 4,374 5,337 Bexley 1,047 1,977 2,727 Bromley 1,855 1,771 2,252 1 Excludes self-deferred cases.