Surgical Operations (Waiting Times)

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the current waiting time for operations in each of the main surgical specialities at St. Nicholas Hospital, Plumstead, the Brook General Hospital, Woolwich and Greenwich District Hospital; and how

AVERAGE WAITING TIMES—ST. NICHOLAS HOSPITAL, PLUMSTEAD
Specialty			1971	1972	1974	1975	1976
General Surgery
Males	…	…	1–18 months	3 months-1year	2–9 months	6 months-1year	6 months
Females	…	…	1–18months	3–9 months	2–9 months	3 months-1year	6 months
Children	…	…	6 months-1year	6 months	2 months-2 year	9 months-1 year	—
Traumatic and Orthopaedic Surgery:
Males	…	…	3 months	Nil	2 months	Nil	1 month
Females	…	…	3 months	Nil	2 months	Nil	1 month
Children	…	…	4 months	Nil	2 months	Nil	Nil
Ophthalmology:
Males	…	…	1½ years	1–3 months	1–1½ years	Nil	Nil
Females	…	…	2years	1 month-2 years	1½–2 years	Nil	Nil
Children	…	…	1year	1–10 months	1–1½ years	Nil	Nil
Gynaecology	…	…	6 months	3–12 months	2 months-1 year	1–6 months	6 month
Upology:
Males	…	…	1 year	2 years	1½–2 years	Nil	Nil
Females	…	…	1 year	2 years	1 ½–2years	Nil	Nil
Children	…	…	4 months	1 year	1 year	Nil	Nil

AVERAGE WAITING TIMES—BROOK GENERAL HOSPITAL
Specialty			1971	1972	1974	1975	1976
General Surgery:
Males	…	…	2 weeks-8 months	8 weeks	2–4 months	10 months	11 weeks
Females	…	…	3–4 weeks	2 weeks	1 month	11 weeks	19 weeks
Children	…	…	3 months	8 weeks	1–3 months	Nil	Nil
Traumatic and Orthopaedic Surgery:
All	…	…	Nil	3–6 months	Nil	Nil	1½ years
Urology:
Males	…	…	2½ years	1 year	17 months	11 months	24 weeks
Females	…	…	1 year	30 weeks	1 month	Nil	11 weeks
Children	…	…	1 year	2 years	1 month	Nil	Nil
Ear, Nose and Throat (Tonsils and Adenoids):
Males	…	…	Nil	2 weeks	3 months	17 weeks	19 weeks
Females	…	…	Nil	1 week	2 months	6 weeks	16 weeks
Children	…	…	7 months	10 weeks	1 month	3 weeks	10 weeks
Ear, Nose and Throat (Other):
Males	…	…	2 weeks	8 weeks	5 months	11 months	31 weeks
Females	…	…	1 month	12 weeks	2 months	10 weeks	8 weeks
Children	…	…	6 weeks	6 weeks	2 months	12 weeks	10 weeks

this compares with the situation over the past five years.

Surgical waiting times can vary widely over the year, depending on such factors as the availability of operating theatres, staff, etc. Current waiting times for major specialities are not readily available; but the approximate annual averages given in the tables give some indication of levels since 1971. No figures are available for 1973, nor at the Greenwich District Hospital before 1975.

Specialty			1971	1972	1974	1975	1976
Thoracic Surgery:
All	…	…	1–3 weeks	3–9 weeks	1–3 weeks	3 months	4 weeks
Dental Surgery:
Males	…	…	5 months	1 years	13 months	Nil	Nil
Females	…	…	3½ years	4 years	17 months	Nil	Nil
Children	…	…	2 Years	2 years	6 months	Nil	Nil
Neurosurgery
All	…	…	2–3 weeks	2–3 weeks	2 weeks-2 months	3 weeks	1–4 weeks

AVERAGE WAITING TIMES—GREENWICH DISTRICT HOSPITAL
Specialty						1975	1976
General Surgery:
Males	…	…	…	…	…	0–3 months	1 year
Females	…	…	…	…	…		1 year
Children	…	…	…	…	…		3 months
Traumatic and Orthopaedic Surgery:
Males	…	…	…	…	…	0–9 months	0–10 weeks
Females	…	…	…	…	…	0–3 months	0–14 weeks
Children	…	…	…	…	…	0–8 months	Nil
Ophthalmology:
Males	…	…	…	…	…	1–6 months	0–8 weeks
Females	…	…	…	…	…	0–12 months	0–6 months
Children	…	…	…	…	…	0–4 months	0–4 months
Gynaecology	…	…	…	…	…	3 months	0–8 weeks
Urology
Males	…	…	…	…	…	4–12 months	0–3 weeks
Females	…	…	…	…	…	9–12 months	0–6 weeks
Children	…	…	…	…	…	6–18 months	0–6 weeks

Volume 928: debated on Monday 14 March 1977