§ Lady HermonTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many people in Northern Ireland are waiting for(a) hip and (b) knee replacement operations; how many of these have been waiting (i) less than 12 months, (ii) between 12 and 18 months, (iii) between 18 and 24 months and (iv) longer than 24 months; what steps he is taking to reduce these figures; and if he will make a statement. [134830]
§ Angela SmithInformation on people waiting for treatment is collected on the basis of specialty rather than the type of operation. The number of patients in Northern Ireland awaiting admission to hospital, as either an inpatient or day case, in the trauma and 335W orthopaedic specialty is detailed in the following table. Figures are representative of the position at the end of June 2003 (the latest information available).
Specialty—trauma and orthopaedics Time waiting (months) Number 0-11 4,132 12-17 721 18-23 325 24+ 611 Total waiters 5,789 Source:
CHI
I am aware that there are significant waiting lists for orthopaedic surgery at present. This reflects a general increase in demand over recent years for orthopaedic services and waiting lists have grown as a result.
A number of measures are being taken to deal with this increase in demand including increasing the number of orthopaedic surgeons in training and the recent building of two modular theatres, costing £3.8 million, on the Musgrave Park Hospital site. The provision of these new theatres will increase theatre capacity, increase capacity for fracture services, stabilise and reduce waiting lists, and facilitate the mix of elective, trauma and out-patient work of consultant orthopaedic surgeons.