HC Deb 24 January 2000 vol 343 cc100-1W
Mr. Bob Russell

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is his target for the maximum waiting time to see a consultant neurologist; what is the current waiting period for Essex Rivers Healthcare NHS Trust; and if he will make a statement. [104506]

Mr. Denham

There is no specific target for individual specialities. Over a third of all patients have their first outpatient appointment within 4 weeks of being referred by their general practitioner. We are, however, determined to modernise services and reduce the number of patients waiting longer than thirteen weeks for their first outpatient appointment.

Figures are not collected on the average waiting period of patients for a first outpatient appointment but figures are available on the length of time patients waited to be seen following a GP written referral. The latest figures available are for Quarter 2 (quarter ending 30 September 1999), and are given in the table.

Of those GP written referrals seen in Neurology during Quarter 2, 1999–2000, the number who waited (in weeks) at Essex Rivers Healthcare National Health Service Trust
Number
0–3 weeks 31
4-under 13 weeks 40
13-under 26 weeks 21
Over 26 weeks 36

Source:

Form QM08—completed by the Trust quarterly.

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