HC Deb 08 June 1999 vol 332 cc270-1W
18. Mr. Clappison

To ask the Secretary of State for Health which health authorities have asked trusts to increase out-patient consultation times for waiting list surgery; and if he will make a statement. [85015]

Mr. Denham

We are not aware of any health authorities asking trusts to increase waiting times for out-patient consultations. We are, however, aware that health authorities are expecting the National Health Service to see over a third of a million more new out-patients in 1999–2000 than last year.

Miss Widdecombe

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many patients were waiting more than 13 weeks for an out-patient consultation in the last quarter for which figures are available. [85762]

Mr. Denham

At 31 March 1999, the number of patients still waiting for a first out-patient appointment more than 13 weeks after general practitioner referral was 456,033.

Miss Widdecombe

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the health authorities which have asked general practitioners to reduce the number of patients they refer to hospitals for waiting list surgery. [86065]

Mr. Denham

We are not aware of any health authorities asking general practitioners to reduce the number of patients they refer to hospitals for out-patient appointments.

We do, however, expect all health authorities and primary care groups to regularly discuss with GPs arrangements for ensuring patients receive the treatment they need, as quickly as possible. This is key to improving health, reducing inequalities and modernising National Health Service services.

27. Mr. Whittingdale

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many patients have been removed from central health service waiting list statistics since 2 May 1997, without having received the treatment intended. [85024]

Mr. Denham

Patients are removed from waiting lists for a number of reasons other than treatment. These are:

  1. (i) patient admitted as an emergency for the same condition;
  2. (ii) patient removed for other reasons, such as a patient being transferred to another trust's waiting list;
  3. (iii) patient/doctor decides operation is no longer needed (for example—patient recovering from illness);
  4. (iv) patient treated elsewhere (for example, at a private provider);
  5. (v) patient died.

The number of patients removed from waiting lists in 1998–99 totalled 672,000. This is broadly in line with the proportion removed from the waiting list in recent years.

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