§ 33. Ms Beverley HughesTo ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement about hospital waiting lists in(a) Stretford and Urmston and (b) Greater Manchester. [7976]
§ Mr. MilburnInformation about numbers of patients waiting for admission to national health service trusts in England is published quarterly in "Hospital Waiting List Statistics: England", copies of which are available in the Library. The latest information available gives the position on 31 March 1997. This shows that the numbers of patients waiting for admission on either an in-patient or day case basis to the two major trusts in Stretford and Urmston have increased by 20 per cent. since 31 March 1996. In Greater Manchester the numbers waiting have increased at nine of the 12 major trusts serving the area, by 10 per cent. overall. The latter is in line with the increase nationally over the period.