§ Michael FabricantTo ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the future of day surgery in hospitals. [75378]
§ Mr. HuttonMost patients prefer day surgery as it provides fast effective care and is the least disruptive to their lives. As part of the Day Surgery Strategy, we aim to make day surgery the usual way people have their planned operations not the exception, and increase to 75 per cent. the rate of elective operations undertaken as day cases. This is underpinned by £68 million that we are providing in 2002–03 and 2003–04 to improve access and deliver choice to patients in day surgery units.