§ Ms Estelle MorrisTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what information she has on the waiting time for those suffering with eye conditions to see a consultant ophthalmologist at the Birmingham Heartlands hospital; and what action she will take to reduce delays in treatment for those with eye conditions.
§ Dr. MawhinneyWe are committed to driving down all waiting times. Information on waiting times for first out-patient appointments is not available centrally. In 1993–94 regions have set targets, for time to first out-patient appointment, and will reduce waiting times in specialties where they are unacceptably high.
§ Mr. Kevin HughesTo ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if she will make available figures on the number of people waiting for an out-patient appointment in the area served by Doncaster health authority;
(2) what are the target waiting times for each specialty in the Doncaster district health authority.
§ Dr. MawhinneyInformation on the number of people waiting for out-patient appointments is not available centrally. As purchasers of health care, all district health authorities will shortly be publishing their first annual report on performance achieved by their providers against each of the patients charter standards.