§ Mrs. Iris RobinsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many people have been waiting for(a) inpatient admission and (b) initial outpatient assessment for orthopaedic surgery for more than (i) one year, (ii) two years and (iii) three years. [152367]
§ Angela SmithWaiting list statistics are submitted to the Department at specialty level. The information in this answer relates to people waiting in the trauma and orthopaedics specialty at 30 September 2003 (the most recent information available). Waiting list statistics are collected in three-month time bands for all patients waiting up to 24 months. Patients waiting 24 months or more are grouped together within one category therefore patients waiting three years or more cannot be separately identified.
One year Two years Three years Number awaiting inpatient admission 1,725 604 n/a Number awaiting initial outpatient assessment 6,998 3,352 n/a Source:
CH1 and CH3