§ Gregory BarkerTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what the(a) total number and (b) proportion of suspected cancer patients being seen by a cancer surgeon within two weeks of referral by their GP, for each health authority; and what the figures were for each months since July 1997. [75782]
§ Ms BlearsThe information collected centrally on urgent cancer referrals seen by a specialist within two weeks does not distinguish between surgeons and other specialists. The two week outpatient waiting time standard was introduced for urgent cases of suspected breast cancer from April 1999 and was extended to all urgent cases of suspected cancer from December 2000. Performance data is published quarterly. Information on the total number and percentage achievement of the408W right hon. Friend the Secretary of State announced the location of these machines in July 2002. Others will be replaced through local means. The 20 replacement machines under the Cancer Plan have been allocated to the 17 trusts identified in the table.
two week standard for breast cancer since April 1999 and for all suspected cancer referrals since January 2001 has been placed in the Library.