§ Mr. BurnsTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the average waiting time to see a GP at present; and what the equivalent figure was in 1997. [24644]
§ Mr. Hutton[holding answer 8 January 2002]: These data are not collected centrally.
From September 2001 data are being collected quarterly on the lead time for the first available appointment with each general practitioner practice.
The only data on patient waits to see a GP derive from the 1998 national patient survey. This showed that around a quarter waited four days or more (with 5 per cent. waiting over a week) for an appointment.