HC Deb 27 April 2004 vol 420 cc961-2W
Brian Cotter

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what changes there have been to NHS waiting list times for the residents of Weston-super-Mare in the last seven years. [167529]

Ms Rosie Winterton

This Government are committed to reducing waiting times.

In 1997, the maximum waiting time for inpatient treatment was 18 months. The maximum waiting time for patients waiting for their first outpatient appointment with a consultant was over six months.

From 1 April 2004, these inpatient and outpatient maximum waiting times have b,!en reduced to nine months and 17 weeks respectively.