§ Mr. RedmondTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidelines are given to general practitioners about performing rectal examinations on patients with bowel complaints.
§ Dr. MawhinneyIt is for the profession to issue guidance on such clinical matters as appropriate.
§ Mr. RedmondTo ask the Secretary of State if she will list by regional health authority the average current delay between patients reporting(a) symptoms starting and (b) diagnosis of a patient with inflammatory bowel disorder.
§ Mr. SackvilleThis information is not held centrally.
Provisional waiting time figures—April 1992 In-patients and day cases combined Numbers waiting—April 1992 Region Under one year One to two years Over two years Total Northern 53,855 4,005 0 57,860 Yorkshire 63,452 6,658 8 70,118 Trent 75,816 9,641 20 85,477 East Anglian 34,367 4,108 77 38,552 North West Thames 46,233 8,894 44 55,171 North East Thames 68,637 8,690 713 78,040 South East Thames 67,360 8,700 175 76,235 South West Thames 44,101 2,576 26 46,703 Wessex 53,598 4,177 0 57,775 Oxford 39,354 5,695 30 45,079 South Western 62,933 3,252 94 66,279 West Midlands 85,761 5,787 214 91,762 Mersey 49,918 803 0 50,721 North Western 78,017 6,864 64 84,945 All regions 823,402 79,850 1,465 904,717 SHAs 12,011 1,397 534 13,942 Total 835,413 81,247 1,999 918,659 Note: Based on provisional figures obtained from regions.