§ Tim LoughtonTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidance his Department has issued on the 487W recommended average length of patient consultation times with (a) general practitioners and (b) hospital consultants. [19292]
§ Mr. Hutton[holding answer 29 November 2001]: The Department does not issue guidance on how long general practitioners or hospital consultants should spend on consultations. It is up to clinical judgment how long they should spend on a consultation, as patients' needs differ on an individual basis.