§ Mr. Liddell-GraingerTo ask the Secretary of State for Health how many public service agreement targets St. George's Hospital, London has. [139040]
1410W
§ Mr. HuttonLocal public service agreements are voluntary agreements between central Government and a council to deliver better services for local people. Wandsworth council, the local council in the area in which St. George's Hospital is based, is currently in the process of agreeing its local public service agreements targets.
§ Mr. Liddell-GraingerTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what help St. George's Hospital, London will be given to achieve waiting list targets. [139042]
§ Mr. HuttonSt. George's Healthcare National Health Service trust expects to achieve the waiting list targets for the year ending 2003–04. I am informed that the NHS Modernisation Agency has been invited by the trust to help develop improved waiting list management systems and a more efficient service for patients. The trust has also participated in the London patients' choice initiative; and has been awarded funds to support "Action On" projects in urology and plastics.
§ Mr. Liddell-GraingerTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what the average waiting list times for St. George's Hospital, London were in(a) 1998–99, (b) 1999–2000 and (c)2001–02. [139047]
§ Mr. HuttonInformation on median waiting times for St. George's Healthcare National Health Service Trust is shown in the following table.
Average waiting times for elective inpatient admission at St. George's Healthcare NHS Trust Year ending Median waiting times (months) March 1999 2.74 March 2000 2.95 March 2002 3.05 Source
Department of Health form KH07.
The figures shown are estimates based on aggregate data, categorised into waiting time bands, and do not reflect shifts in the waiting time profiles within these bands, only between bands. The median is not very sensitive to reductions in maximum waiting times, and it is possible to see a rise in the median, while reducing maximum waiting times because of shifts in low time bands. Short-term progress on delivering maximum waiting times (including in-year tail-gunning) will not necessarily translate into a reduction in the median waiting time. Our policy, therefore, is to focus attention on the number of patients waiting the longest, and in each waiting time band.