§ Mr. LawsTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what the maximum permitted out-patient waiting time is for NHS patients; and if he will make a statement. [13486]
§ Mr. Hutton[holding answer 14 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 waiting time standard as set out in the Patient's Charter for a first out-patient appointment from general practitioner (GP) referral is for patients to be seen within 26 weeks. The service is aiming to achieve no patients waiting over 26 weeks following GP referral by the end of March 2002 as a first step towards reducing the maximum wait to three months by the end of March 2005.