§ Earl Howeasked Her Majesty's Government:
How many specialist pain control clinics were operational within each region of the National Health Service on the latest date for which figures are available; and how many were operational three years before that. [HL3546]
§ The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Health (Lord Hunt of Kings Heath)The Department of Health does not collect this information.
We are aware of the Clinical Standards Advisory Group report on Services for Patients with Pain published in April 2000, which showed that chronic pain services exist in 220 National Health Service trusts in the United Kingdom.
§ Earl Howeasked Her Majesty's Government:
How many specialist pain control clinics have closed during the past three years in Somerset, Wiltshire, Devon and Cornwall. [HL3547]
128WA
§ Lord Hunt of Kings HeathThe information requested is not available centrally.
§ Earl Howeasked Her Majesty's Government:
What was the average waiting time for each region of the National Health Service for patients referred for consultation at specialist pain control clinics on the latest date for which figures are available. [HL3557]
§ Lord Hunt of Kings HeathThe average median waiting time for 2000–01, from the date of a decision to admit a patient for treatment for pain management to the admission date, are as follows:
Regional office Median waning lime in days Northern and Yorkshire 46 Trent 50 West Midlands 50 North West 33 Eastern 64 London 32 South East 55 South West 38 England 48 The figures reflect all National Health Service trusts treating patients with a specialty code for pain management and are based on elective waiting list and booked hospital in-patient admissions.