§ Mr. CorbynTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the average waiting times at accident and emergency departments at the Royal Free Hospital, Whittington, Homerton, Royal London and the North Middlesex; and if he will make a statement. [4410]
§ Mr. MilburnThe Department does not currently collect information on average waiting times in accident and emergency departments.
Information is collected on the Patient's Charter standards for immediate assessment in accident and emergency, which is published annually in the NHS Performance Tables; and admission to a hospital bed through accident and emergency by health authority.
We understand from the health authorities concerned that the percentages of patients needing hospital admission through accident and emergency who were admitted within two hours and four hours for the three months to 31 March 1997 were as set out in the table.
Hospital Percentage of patients admitted within two hours Percentage of patients admitted within four hours The Royal Free Hospital 56.8 83.9 Whittington 32.0 69.0 Homerton 77.5 95.0 Royal London 87.2 98.5 North Middlesex 79.0 100.0 Source:
Health authorities' unpublished information.