Hospital Waiting Lists (Southend)

HC Deb 06 June 2000 vol 351 c232W

Sir Teddy Taylor

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what progress has been made in reducing hospital waiting lists in Southend-on-Sea. [122891]

Mr. Denham

Since the fourth quarter of 1996–97, Southend Hospital NHS Trust has reduced the total number of patients on their in-patient waiting lists by 959. Out-patient long waiters are currently falling, and Southend Hospital NHS Trust has achieved its locally agreed target for reduction in the number of long waiting out-patient for 1999–00.