§ Mr. DoddsTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many patients were waiting for more than two hours on trolleys in accident and emergency departments of hospitals in Northern Ireland in each year since 1997. [156581]
§ Angela SmithThe number of hospital trolley waits waiting two hours or more is reported to the Department by Trusts on a quarterly basis.
Number of hospital trolley waits waiting two hours or more recorded in Northern Ireland 1997–98to2002–03 Financial year Trolley waits waiting more than two hours
1997–98 2,335 1998–99 3,943 1999–2000 6,040 2000–01 10,346 2001–02 15,041 2002–03 25,131 Note: In a small number of cases Trusts have returned data for a representative sample of trolley waits. Source: Departmental information Return CH10