§ 18. Mr. JenkinTo ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will make a statement on the implementation of the patients charter waiting time guarantee in the North East Thames region.
§ Mr. SackvilleAs at 31 March 1993, in North East Thames, as in all other regions, there was no one waiting more than two years for any treatment and no one waiting more than 18 months for a hip replacement or a cataract operation. Only seven patients were waiting more than 18 months for a knee replacement in North East Thames and the region is taking steps to ensure the guarantee is met in full as soon as possible.
§ Mr. HawkinsTo ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will make a statement on the implementation of the patients charter waiting time guarantee in the north-western region.
§ Mr. SackvilleLatest provisional waiting time figures for 31 March 1993 show that in line with the patients charter there were no patients waiting two years or more for any in-patient or day case treatment in the region. In addition, as my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Health announced on 4 May, at 31 March 1993 there were no north-western patients waiting more than 18 months for either a hip or knee replacement or a cataract operation.
§ Mr. Nicholas WintertonTo ask the Secretary of State for Health to what extent under the patients charter commitment to providing NHS treatment to every citizen based on clinical need doctors may refuse NHS treatment without a change in the patient's lifestyle.
§ Mr. SackvilleThe patients charter states that every citizen has the right to health care on the basis of clinical need regardless of the ability to pay. The assessment of clinical need of individual patient is a matter for the clinicians responsible for their care. In deciding what form of treatment is appropriate, clinicians will need to exercise their clinical judgment and decide the priority between different forms of treatment, having regard to the resources available.