§ Mr. MorganTo ask the Secretary of State for Wales what are conditions for acceptance for treatment at the treatment centres for cataracts, orthopaedics and general surgery; and at the latest available date how many patients in each health authority area are deemed as qualifying under those conditions. [17584]
§ Mr. HagueThe key requirement for referral to the three treatment centres are that the patient has been assessed as in need of the operation by his local consultant, has no clinical contra-indication and, for cataract procedures and hip or knee replacements, has been on an in-patient waiting list for a minimum of four months.
The number of patients estimated by health authorities as eligible under the waiting time criterion for each treatment centre procedure, as at 30 June 1995, is as follows:
586W
Hernias/varicose District health authority Cataracts veins Hips1 Knees1 North Wales 584 606 179 245 Dyfed Powys 381 254 327 139 Gwent 1,033 546 219 187
Hernias/varicose District health authority Cataracts veins Hips1 Knees1 Bro Taf 330 635 79 69 Morgannwg 677 467 125 89 Wales 3,005 2,508 929 729 1 Hips and knee replacement figures include those for joint revisions.