§ Mr. BradyTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the waiting time for a routine MRI scan in each NHS trust in England. [145184]
§ Mr. Hutton[holding answer 5 January 2003]Data on waiting times for diagnostic tests are not collected centrally, however data may be collected locally. The central returns capture consultant speciality level data on waits for a first outpatient appointment and for inpatient admissions.
However, it is the Governments' priority to ensure that all patients are seen quickly in the first instance so that if diagnostic tests are required they are requested sooner. Where this is not the case we are determined to speed up the process. The National Health Service is committed to reducing the length of time that people wait before their treatment starts and the NHS Plan set targets for staged reductions in waiting times.