§ Virginia BottomleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Health which health authority population includes the highest proportion of patients waiting over a year for in-patient treatment. [6475]
HuttonI apologise to the hon. Member for the delay in responding to this question. I refer the hon. Member to the reply that my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State gave my hon. Friend the Member for Blackpool, North and Fleetwood (Mrs. Humble) on 5 March 2002,Official Report, column 192W.
East Kent health authority has the highest proportion of patients waiting over a year for inpatient treatment. At the end of January 2002 there were 14.3 patients waiting over 12 months for in-patient treatment per 10,000 population.
The Department is monitoring its progress closely and is working to improve this performance.
§ Brian CotterTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what the(a) national average waiting time and (b) Avon health authority waiting time was for glaucoma and cataract operations in the last 12 months. [10070]
§ Mr. HuttonI apologise to the hon. Member for the delay in responding to this question. I refer the hon. Member to the reply that my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State gave my hon. Friend the Member for Blackpool, North and Fleetwood (Mrs. Humble) on 5 March 2002,Official Report, column 192W.
The median average waiting time for glaucoma and cataract operations are given in the following table.
Glaucoma and cataract operations. Median waiting times (in days) Area of residence Median waiting time Avon health authority 109 Al areas 159 Notes:
Waiting time statistics from HES are not the same as the published waiting list statistics. HES provides counts and waiting times for all patients admitted to hospital within a given period whereas the published waiting list statistics count those waiting for treatment at a given point in time and how long they have been on the waiting 827W list. Also, HES calculates the waiting time as the difference between the admission and decision to admit dates. Unlike published waiting list statistics, this is not adjusted for self-deferrals or periods of medical/social suspension.
A finished consultant episode is defined as a period of patient care under one consultant in one health care provider. The figures do not represent the number of patients, as one person may have several episodes within the year.
Figures in this table have not yet been adjusted for shortfalls in data.
Source:
Hospital Episode Statistics (HES), Department of Health.
§ Mr. LawsTo ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will give figures for(a) in-patient waiting lists and (b) in-patient waiting times for each financial year between April 1971 and March 1976. [10821]
§ Mr. Hutton[holding answer 31 October 2001]I apologise to the hon. Member for the delay in responding to this question. I refer the hon. Member to the reply that my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State gave my hon. Friend the Member for Blackpool, North and Fleetwood (Mrs. Humble) on 5 March 2002,Official Report, column 192W.
The information on waiting lists is shown in the table. The data given refer to waiting lists rather than waiting times, as information on waiting times of patients on the list between 1971 and 1976 is not available.
Size of in-patient waiting listJune 1971 to March 1976 Number of patients June 1971 519,322 December 1971 493,731 June 1972 496,569 December 1972 479,199 June 1973 542,074 December 1973 508,617 June 1974 508,390 December 1974 517,424 June 1975 532,613 December 1975 588,483 March 1976 583,851 Notes:
Figures relate to ordinary admissions only, as number of people waiting for day cases were not collected until 1987.
Source:
Department of health waiting times returns
§ Tim LoughtonTo ask the Secretary of State for Health how many patients requiring knee replacement operations have been waiting for(a) less than 12 months, (b) one to two years and (c) more than two years. [11786]
§ Mr. Hutton[holding answer 1 November 200I]: I apologise to the hon. Member for the delay in responding to this question. I refer the hon. Member to the reply that my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State gave my hon. Friend the Member for Blackpool, North and Fleetwood (Mrs. Humble) on 5 March 2002 Official Report, column 192W.
The number of patients waiting for trauma and orthopaedics, the specialty that includes knee replacements, at end June 2001 are shown in the table.
As part of the National Health Service Plan, the maximum waiting time for inpatient treatment will be cut from 18 months now to six months by the end of 2005.
828WAs a first step towards this reduction, the maximum wait for a NHS operation will be cut to 15 months by the end of March 2002.
Patients waiting for elective trauma and orthopaedics admissions Quarter ended 31 December 2001 NHS trust based Patients waiting Total 258,776 Less than 12 months 245,570 12–24 months 13,206 Over 24 months 0 Source:
Department of health form KHO7
§ Dr. MurrisonTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what the average accident and emergency department waiting times were(a) at the Royal United hospital, Bath, (b) in the UK and (c) in each region in the last 12 months; and if he will make a statement. [12857]
§ Ms BlearsI apologise to the hon. Member for the delay in responding to this question. I refer the hon. Member to the reply that my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State gave my hon. Friend the Member for Blackpool, North and Fleetwood (Mrs. Humble) on 5 March 2002,Official Report, column 192W.
The Government do not collect statistics on average waiting times in accident and emergency (A&E) departments centrally.
The Government are committed to reducing waiting times in A&E and the NHS Plan includes the target that by March 2004 no patient will wait more than four hours in A&E from arrival to admission, transfer or discharge. The NHS is currently on track to reach this target with 77 per cent. of attenders spending four hours or less in A&E.
§ Mr. BurnsTo ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people were waiting(a) over six months, (b) over nine months, (c) over 12 months, (d) over 15 months and (e) over 18 months for in-patient treatment in the mid-Essex hospital trust area for (i) the latest available month and (ii) the previous month. [41921]
§ Ms BlearsThe information requested is shown in the table.
Inpatient data for mid-Essex hospital services NHS trust November 2001 December 2001 Of those waiting, number who have waited: More than six months 2,426 2,605 More than nine months 1,232 1,209 More than 12 months 452 370 More than 15 months 61 58 More than 18 months 0 0 Total number waiting 8,787 9,228 Source:
KHO7 quarterly return/monthly waiting times returns