§ Mrs. BeckettTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the average waiting time(a) to see a consultant privately and (b) to see a consultant in the NHS in each of the last five years (i) generally and (ii) by specialty where such figures are available.
§ Mr. MaloneWe do not collect information on waiting times for patients who see consultants in the private sector. Provisional information on outpatient waiting times for patients seen in the national health service is only available for the quarter ending 30 September 1994 and is contained in statistical bulletin 95/3, copies of which are available in the Library. This shows how long patients seen over the quarter had to wait following written referral by a general practitioner within specified time bands but does not give average waiting times.
§ Mrs. BeckettTo ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will give the current average waiting times for operations(a) in the NHS and (b) privately.
§ Mr. MaloneIn 1992–93, the latest year for which information on national health service operations is available, the average waiting times for patients admitted from waiting lists or who had booked admissions was just over three months. We do not collect information on waiting times in the private sector.