§ Mr. Bob RussellTo 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. DenhamThere 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.
101W
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.