§ Mr. BurstowTo ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list in(a) rank and (b) alphabetical order of NHS trust in each region the (i) proportion and (ii) number of patients waiting (A) over 12 months and (B) over 18 months or more for in-patient treatment (1) at the latest available date, (2) in March 1997 and (3) in June 1997. [16805]
§ Mr. HuttonThe number and proportion of patients waiting over 12 and 18 months at March 1997, June 1997 and September 2001 have been placed in the Library.
In line with the NHS plan, in-patient waiting times will fall on a staged basis from 18 months now through to 15,12, nine and down to six months by 2005. As a first step towards this, the maximum waiting time for an in-patient appointment will be 15 months by the end of March 2002.
§ Dr. FoxTo ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how many patients there were on in-patient waiting lists waiting over 12 months for the quarter ended(a) March 1997 and (b) September 2001; [16403]
(2) if he will list the percentage of patients on in-patient waiting lists waiting over 12 months for the quarter ended (a) March 1997 and (b) September 2001. [16402]
§ Mr. HuttonThe information requested is shown in the table.
418W
March 1997 September 2001 Number of patients waiting over 12 months 30,245 43,873 Percentage of total waiting list 2.67 4.29 Note:
Figures are health authority based and are sourced from the QF01 waiting times return.