§ Mr. BayleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what proportion of NHS patients referred to hospital between January and March were given a choice of consultant;
(2) what proportion of NHS patients (a) requested and (b) were granted a second medical opinion following a diagnosis by a consultant between January and March.
§ Mr. SackvilleThe information is not available. The patients charter includes the right for a patient, when his or her general practitioner thinks it necessary, to be referred to a consultant who is acceptable to the patient; and to be referred for a second opinion if the patient and the GP agree that this is desirable.