HC Deb 30 January 1996 vol 270 cc719-20W
Ms Harman

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many NHS eyesight tests were conducted in each year since 1978. [12622]

Mr. Malone

The numbers of national health service sight tests paid for by family health services authorities in England in each year since 1978 are as follows:

  • 1978–79: 7.894 millions
  • 1979–80: 8.331 millions
  • 1980–81: 8.332 millions
  • 1981–82: 8.469 millions
  • 1982–83: 8.678 millions
  • 1983–84: 9.266 millions
  • 1984–85: 9.882 millions
  • 1985–86: 10.246 millions
  • 1986–87: 10.615 millions
  • 1987–88: 11.695 millions

G&A Non-elective FCEs1
Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2
Region 1993–94 1993–94 1993–94 1993–94 1994–95 1994–95 1994–95 1994–95 1995–96 1995–96
Northern and Yorkshire 142,361 138,971 143,879 147,711 144,692 148,375 152,309 150,440 153,811 154,312
Trent 92,432 92,814 101,048 101,871 101,016 102,026 104,242 109,248 105,211 107,594
Anglia and Oxford 86,480 86,147 90,419 91,085 89,674 90,288 96,997 97,991 93,873 95,553
North Thames 121,632 122,159 122,454 132,467 126,881 126,972 128,533 131,102 128,551 125,863
South Thames 112,589 125,229 119,552 117,715 118,540 122,221 123,613 127,016 122,827 125,031
South and West 116,155 121,228 123,401 125,056 124,826 122,042 127,908 129,339 130,744 132,950
West Midlands 100,397 100,536 102,638 102,143 101,067 103,052 111,984 107,956 105,957 111,828
North-west 148,074 142,317 154,767 155,404 155,341 152,765 146,889 165,908 157,420 163,281
England 920,119 929,401 958,159 973,451 962,039 967,740 992,476 1,019,001 998,394 1,016,412

Source:

Fast Track NHS Executive.

Notes:

1. All estimates are derived from the NHS Executive's quarterly fast track management system. Figures for 1993–94 and 1994–95 have been adjusted to take account of definitional changes to allow direct comparison with 1995–96 figures.

2. The estimates are on a "purchaser basis" and relate to activity purchased using NHS funds by health authorities and GP fundholders in England. This includes activity purchased from private hospitals and NHS hospitals outside England, but excludes private patients and patients from outside England treated in English hospitals.

3. The figures are on a different basis to the long standing series published annually in "Ordinary and day case Admissions for England". The annual series is on a "provider basis", and counts all patients treated in NHS hospitals in England, including private patients and patients from outside England.

  • 1988–89: 12.493 millions
  • 1989–90: 5.280 millions
  • 1990–91: 4.154 millions
  • 1991–92: 4.979 millions
  • 1992–93: 5.528 millions
  • 1993–94: 5.935 millions
  • 1994–95: 6.383 millions

In April 1989, NHS sight tests were restricted to certain groups of the population. The figures for 1989–90 include some sight tests paid for in 1989–90 but conducted in 1988–89 under the previous scheme and are not, therefore, directly comparable with those for 1990–91 onwards.