§ Mr. William RossTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will indicate the number of patients each health and social services board in Northern Ireland intends to send to(a) Great Britain and (b) elsewhere for cardiac surgery during the current year; what is the average cost per patient from each board area; and what is the average cost per patient in the present year for such surgery in Northern Ireland.
§ Mr. HanleyThe number of patients for whom boards have already negotiated contracts for treatment in Great Britain for cardiac surgery in 1992–93 is as follows:380W
Board Number Northern 30 Southern 26 Eastern 20 Western 30 Further patients may be sent to Great Britain later in the year, but details are not yet available. They are not likely to send any patients outside the United Kingdom for cardiac surgery this year.
It is not possible to provide a meaningful average cost for each patient since the cost is influenced by a number of factors which vary from patient to patient. These factors include the severity and type of cardiac disease, the amount of clinical re-assessment which may be necessary before the operation, and the volume of patients for whom a particular contract is being negotiated. On this basis, average costs vary from £3,500 to £5,000 per patient.
Cardiac surgery performed in Northern Ireland, is only carried out at the Royal Victoria hospital, Belfast and the average costs per patient this year are likely to be around £ 6,800.