Waiting Times (Hansard, 12 November 1996)

§ Mr. McGrady
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many people were referred by general practitioners for(a) orthopaedic operations, (b) coronary bypass surgery and (c) coronary angiograms in each health and social services trust in Northern Ireland (i) between 1 April and 30 September 1996 and (ii) between 1 April 1995 and 31 March 1996; how many of those in (a) have been placed on a waiting list; how long they have been waiting; and what is the expected date for their operations. [2387]

§ Mr. Moss
General practitioners usually refer patients for consultant out-patient appointments in the first instance, with decisions regarding any subsequent action,

Specialty Total Patients who had cancelled or failed to attend a previous appointment Patients who has not cancelled or failed to attend a previous appointment Time waiting of those who had not cancelled or failed to attend¹

< 6 mths Per cent. > 6–12 mths Per cent. > 12 mths + per cent.

Orthopaedics 3,010 602 2,408 82 9 9

Cardiology 1,783 239 1,544 97 3 1

Cardiac Surgery 74 19 55 42 36 22

¹Percentages may not sum to 100 per cent. as a result of rounding. Percentages exclude a small proportion of cases where waiting time for admission was not known.

The waiting times for admissions of elective in-patients in the trauma and orthopaedics specialty during the year ending 31 March 1996 are given in the table, with the waiting times for admission of those elective in-patients whose primary procedures in the same period were coronary bypass surgery or coronary angiogram.

Waiting time for admission¹

Specialty Total <6 months Per cent. >6 <12 months Per cent. >12 months Per cent.

Trauma and orthopaedics procedure 8,988 73 21 6

Coronary bypass 713 65 28 6

Angiogram 974 97 2 (<1)

¹Percentages may not sum to 100 per cent. as a result of rounding. Percentages exclude a small proportion of cases where waiting time for admission was not known.

§ Mr. McGrady
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what assessment he has made of the length of national health service waiting lists in Northern Ireland; and if he will make a statement. [2389]
186W
including a decision to place on a waiting list for treatment, being taken following assessment at a consultant out-patient clinic.
In the year ending 31 March 1996—latest figures available—there were 24,440 GP written referrals for out-patient appointments in the trauma and orthopaedics specialty and 7,676 in the cardiology specialty. Patients are not referred by GPs for coronary angiograms. The procedure which an individual patient may require is not determined until he/she is seen by the cardiologist at the first appointment. The latter information is not available centrally. In the cardiac surgery specialty, there were 823 consultant referrals for out-patient appointments. GPs do not refer directly to the cardiac surgery specialty—they refer patients to a cardiologist in the first instance. It is not possible to break down these overall Northern Ireland figures into the particular trust wherein the referring GPs are located.
The numbers of those waiting for a first out-patient appointment at 31 March 1996 in these specialties, together with the time waiting for those who had not cancelled an appointment offered or who had not failed to attend such an appointment are given in the table:

§ Mr. Moss
The table shows that between 30 June 1995 and 30 June 1996—the latest available figures—the overall number waiting for treatment changed very little.

Number waiting for first appointment For ordinary admission For day case admission

June 1995 67,750 21,070 14,688

June 1996 62,765 21,687 16,890

§ Mr. McGrady
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what steps he will take to reduce the waiting lists for coronary angiograms in each of the health and social services trusts in Northern Ireland; and if he will make a statement. [2388]

§ Mr. Moss
Information is not available on waiting lists for individual procedures. However, the table gives the number of elective in-patients who had coronary angiograms as their primary procedure in the last three years and the time they had to wait between the decision to admit them to hospital and the date of their admission. The table shows that there has been a 20 per cent. increase in the number of angiograms performed over this period. 187W

Coronary angiograms

Waiting time for admission¹

Total 6 months Per cent. 6 to 12 months Per cent. 12 months + Per cent.

1993–94 814 95 5 (-1)

1994–95 799 96 3 1

1995–96 974 97 2 (-1)

¹Percentages may not sum to 100 per cent. as a result of rounding. Percentages exclude a small proportion of cases where waiting time for admission was not known.

Specialty	Total	Patients who had cancelled or failed to attend a previous appointment	Patients who has not cancelled or failed to attend a previous appointment	Time waiting of those who had not cancelled or failed to attend¹
				< 6 mths Per cent.	> 6–12 mths Per cent.	> 12 mths + per cent.
Orthopaedics	3,010	602	2,408	82	9	9
Cardiology	1,783	239	1,544	97	3	1
Cardiac Surgery	74	19	55	42	36	22
¹Percentages may not sum to 100 per cent. as a result of rounding. Percentages exclude a small proportion of cases where waiting time for admission was not known.

		Waiting time for admission¹
Specialty	Total	<6 months Per cent.	>6 <12 months Per cent.	>12 months Per cent.
Trauma and orthopaedics procedure	8,988	73	21	6
Coronary bypass	713	65	28	6
Angiogram	974	97	2	(<1)
¹Percentages may not sum to 100 per cent. as a result of rounding. Percentages exclude a small proportion of cases where waiting time for admission was not known.

	Number waiting for first appointment	For ordinary admission	For day case admission
June 1995	67,750	21,070	14,688
June 1996	62,765	21,687	16,890

Coronary angiograms
	Waiting time for admission¹
	Total	6 months Per cent.	6 to 12 months Per cent.	12 months + Per cent.
1993–94	814	95	5	(-1)
1994–95	799	96	3	1
1995–96	974	97	2	(-1)
¹Percentages may not sum to 100 per cent. as a result of rounding. Percentages exclude a small proportion of cases where waiting time for admission was not known.