§ Mr. McDonnellTo ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the average waiting times at accident and emergency departments for patient requiring admission at(a) Hillingdon, (b) Ealing, (c) Northwich Park and (d) West Middlesex hospitals. [9174]
§ Mr. MilburnThe Department collects information by health authority which shows the percentage of patients requiring hospital admission through accident and emergency who were admitted within two hours. This information for the quarter ending 31 March 1997 for health authorities in north-west London is set out in the following table:
Health authority Patients admitted within 2 hours Percentage Brent and Harrow HA1 84 Ealing, Hammersmith and Houslow HA2 50 Hillingdon HA3 84 1 Covers Northwick Park and St.Marks NHS trust 2 Covers Ealing Hospital NHS trust and West Middlesex University Hospital NHS Trust. 3 Covers Hillingdon Hospital NHS trust. Action is being taken within the NHS to ensure that the needs of the emergency patient are met as effectively as possible.