§ Mr. LawsTo ask the Secretary of State for Health how many hospitals(a) include and (b) exclude angiograms from (i) inpatient and (ii) outpatient waiting lists; and if he will make a statement. [75993]
§ Ms Blears[holding answer 24 October 2002]: This information is not centrally available at present as waiting times are collected by specialty not procedure. We are investing £65 million New Opportunities Fund money and £15 million Treasury Capital Modernisation Fund money to expand angiography facilities. When completed, this should allow an extra 14,000 angiograms to take place each year. The planning and priorities framework for 2003–06 sets the National Health Service a target to reduce waiting times for angiography and we plan to monitor progress against this target.