§ Mr. WigginTo ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people sought medical assistance through the NHS between 1997 and 2003. [160923]
§ Mr. HuttonThe tables show the number of patients admitting or starting a consultation in the following situations:
- General practitioner consultations,
- Walk-in-centre visits,
- Calls to NHS Direct,
- New attendances at accident and emergency,
- First outpatient attendances,
- Day case and overnight hospital admissions.
These figures relate to the number of attendances or admissions and are not a count of the number of people—some patients may be admitted or attend a consultation on more than one occasion.
Contact with the NHS Thousand Calls to NHS direct1 Total visits to NHS walk-in centres2,3 New attendances at A and E/minor injury units4 First out-patient attendances4 Day case admissions5,6 Overnight hospital admissions5,6 1996–97 — — 12,484 11,294 2,623 1,749 1997–98 — — 12,794 11,529 2,765 1,695 1998–99 110 — 12,811 11,778 3,122 1,756 1999–2000 1,650 — 13,167 12,136 3,212 1,730 2000–01 3,420 574 12,953 12,466 3,337 1,719 2001–02 5,213 1,144 12,853 12,714 3,411 1,680 2002–03 6,319 1,373 12,945 13,032 3,618 1,702 3 Figures are partially estimated. Sources:
1Health Intelligence Unit, NHS Direct.
2Walk-in centre activity reports.
4KH09.
5SaFFR. Data relates to General and Acute Specialities only, First Finished Consultant Episodes only.
6Day case and over night admissions: Earlier SaFFR figures are from health authorities. With the abolition of health authorities, figures for 2001–02 and 2002–03 are based on returns from NHS trusts