§ Mr. FlynnTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will estimate(a) how many people and (b) the percentage of people who have been admitted to hospital as a direct result of complications after (i) surgery and (ii) medicinal treatment in Scotland in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement. [9641]
§ Lord James Douglas-Hamilton[holding answer 17 December 1996]: The information requested is set out in the table.
Discharges of patients from Scottish hospitals with any diagnosis of (a) complications following surgery or (b) adverse effects of drugs, medicaments or biological substances 1991–95 Diagnosis 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 Complications following surgery1 Number 10,304 11,559 12,516 14,149 16,526 Percentage of all discharges 1.1 1.2 1.2 1.3 1.5 Adverse effects of drugs, medicaments or biological substances.2 Number 2,631 2,601 2,678 3,032 3,634 Percentage of all discharges 0.3 0.3 0.3 0.3 0.3 1Surgical operation and other surgical procedures as the cause of abnormal reaction of patient, or of later complication, without mention of misadventure at the time of operation. 2Drugs, medicaments and biological substances causing adverse effects in therapeutic use. This includes the "correct drug properly administered" and excludes accidents in dosage or administration. The figures include cases where the initial treatment was not in hospital.