§ Mr. EvansTo ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people were waiting more than six months to see a consultant for the first consultation in Lancashire in each year since 1997. [53108]
§ Jacqui SmithThree health authorities. East, North West and South Lancashire, were responsible for commissioning health care on behalf of the majority of 259W the population of Lancashire. The following data are an aggregate of those three organisations. On 1 April 2002, health authorities in Cumbria and Lancashire merged to form Cumbria and Lancashire health authority.
The total number of patients, following a general practitioner referral, waiting over six months (26 weeks) for a first out-patient consultant appointment, is set out in the table:
Number of patients December 1997 918 December 1998 2,716 December 1999 3,176 December 2000 2,016 December 2001 1,021