Brighton and Sussex University Hospitals NHS Trust

HC Deb 17 September 2004 vol 424 cc1946-7W

Tim Loughton

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what action he is taking to reduce the numbers of patients waiting for more than nine months for treatment at the Brighton and Sussex University Hospitals NHS Trust. [189434]

Ms Rosie Winterton

The local national health service is working to make full use of both NHS and independent sector, rapacity to ensure that no patients are waiting longer than nine months for inpatient treatment at Brighton and Sussex University Hospitals NHS Trust.

Surrey and Sussex Strategic Health Authority expects that, from the end of September all patients will be offered treatment dates within the nine month maximum waiting time target. However, for personal reasons, some patients may opt for a later treatment date which may result in a waiting time of over nine months.