§ Mr. Jim CunninghamTo ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on cataract services in the NHS(a) nationally and (b) in Coventry. [136581]
§ Mr. DenhamMy right hon. Friend the Secretary of State announced in July that we are investing £20 million to modernise cataract services. This will ensure quicker and more efficient services for patients and increase the number of cataract operations performed from 170,000 in 1998–99 to 250,000 by the year 2003.
A total of £2.1 million has been allocated from this money to improve cataract services in the West Midlands region. Of this, £630,000 has been awarded to a consortium that includes Coventry and Warwickshire Health Authorities.