§ 12 Mr. LawsTo ask the Secretary of State for Health how many patients have been waiting more than(a) three (b) six (c) nine (d)(e) 18 and (f) 24 months between (i) referral by a GP for a diagnostic test and (ii) referral by a consultant for a diagnostic test; and if he will make a statement. [75989]
§ Mr. HuttonInformation is not collected centrally on the number of patients waiting for diagnostic tests. The length of time that a patient may have to wait for any diagnostic test is dependent on their clinical condition.504W Emergency cases need to be seen immediately. Other cases will be carried out as quickly as possible, however this is dependent on the clinical priority of all remaining patients waiting to have diagnostic tests.
The NHS Cancer Plan set new targets to shorten the time patients have to wait for diagnosis and treatment. The first step in reducing cancer waiting times was the introduction of the two week waiting time standard form urgent general practitioner referral to outpatient appointment for cases of suspected breast cancer from April 1999. The two week standard was extended to all other urgent cases of suspected cancer during 2000. By 2005 there will be a maximum two month wait from urgent general practitioner referral to treatment for all cancers.
We are making unprecedented investment in the provision of new and replacement diagnostic equipment, improving the recruitment and retention of staff and streamlining the way care is delivered through the cancer services collaborative.
§ Mr. LawsTo ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will publish guidance from his Department to NHS trusts and health authorities on the speed of processing of patients onto(a) inpatient and (b) outpatient waiting lists following (i) GP and (ii) consultant referral; and if he will make a statement. [76288]
§ Mr. HuttonAll guidance to the National Health Service is published in the NHS data dictionary/manual. This covers the relevant information on when a patient should appear on a waiting list and how a waiting time should be recorded.
Patients are added to the inpatient elective admission list at the time there is a decision to admit the patient and the waiting time is calculated from that date. For first outpatient appointments the waiting time is calculated from the date the NHS trust receives the referral, except where a patient as been referred under the urgent cancer referral route, then the waiting time is calculated from the date the general practitioner decided to refer.
§ Mr. LawsTo ask the Secretary of State for Health whether endoscopy tests are included in the waiting list figures for(a) inpatients and (b) outpatients; what guidance has been issued to hospital trusts and health authorities about exclusion of endoscopies from waiting list statistics over the last five years; and if he will make a statement. [75985]
§ Mr. HuttonData on waiting times for consultant led inpatient elective admissions and consultant led first outpatient appointments, following a general practitioner referral, are collected on the consultant's main specialty not by procedure. Endoscopies can be recorded as either inpatients or outpatients depending on the setting in which the endoscope takes place. Guidance to this effect is available on the Department's web-site, at www.doh.gov.uk/waitingtimes/frequentlyaskedquestions.
§ Mr. LawsTo ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list, for each English health authority and trust, the number of patients who have been waiting for more than six months to see a consultant, after having been referred by a consultant: and if he will make a statement. [75846]
505W
§ Mr. Hutton[holding answer 23 October 2002]: Data on consultant to consultant referrals are not centrally collected. Data on first general practitioner referrals to consultants are collected and published on the Department's website at www.doh.gov.uk/waitingtimes.
§ Mr. LawsTo ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the length of the waiting lists for neurophysiology treatment in English hospitals. [75734]
§ Mr. Hutton[holding answer 23 October 2002]: The outpatient target, to have no over 26 week waiters following first outpatient appointment from a general practitioner referral by March 2002, was achieved for the specialty clinical neuro-physiology.
In 2002ߝ3 the National Health Service is working to reduce maximum waiting times for first outpatient appointments from a GP referral from 26 weeks to 21 weeks.
§ Mr. LawsTo ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people were waiting more than(a) six months and (b) 12 months as (i) in-patients and (ii) out patients in England as at (A) 31 March 1997 and (B) the latest date for which information is available; and if he will make a statement. [75847]
§ Mr. Hutton[holding answer 23 October 2002]: The tables below show the number of patients still waiting for elective admission and a consultant outpatient appointment by length of time waiting at 31 March 1997 and the latest available date. Data are not collected on patients waiting over 12 months for a consultant outpatient appointment.
Patients Waiting for Elective Admission: England(Responsible population based) months end over 6 months Patients Waiting over 12 months Mar-97 283,866 30,245 Aug-02 250,794 18,234 Source:
Department of Health form QF01
Patients Waiting for First Consultant Outpatient Appointment Following GP Referral: NHS Trusts in England Month end Patients waiting over 26 weeks Mar-97 70,689 Jun-02 1,145 Source:
Department of Health form QM08