asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the number of orthopaedic consultants per 10,000 population in (a) the Dartford and Gravesend Health District, (b) the Kent Area Health Authority, (c) the South-East Thames Region and (d) in England and Wales.
The number (whole-time equivalent) of consultants in traumatic and orthopaedic surgery per 10,000 population at 30th September 1977 was 0·10 for the South-East Thames Region and 0·11 for England and Wales. Information about areas and districts is not collected centrally.
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what are the average waiting times for appointments with orthopaedic consultants for adults and children, respectively, in (a) the Dartford and Gravesend Health District, (b) the Kent Area Health Authority, (c) the South-East Thames Region, and (d) England and Wales.
Information about average waiting times for appointments with
| Health district | Hospital | Urgent cases | Non-urgent cases |
| Canterbury and Thanet | Kent and Canterbury | Normally no delay | 20 weeks |
| Faversham Cottage | 12 weeks | ||
| Queen Victoria Memorial | 20 weeks | ||
| Isle of Thanet District: | |||
| Isle of Ramsgate Wing | 9 weeks | ||
| Isle of Margate Wing | 14 weeks | ||
| Dartford and Gravesham | West Hill: | ||
| Consultant A | 3 weeks | Children: 4 weeks | |
| Adults: 15 weeks | |||
| Consultant B | 5 weeks | 14 weeks | |
| Consultant C | Normally no delay | 10 weeks (Special orthopaedic hand clinic—3 weeks | |
| Gravesend and North Kent | |||
| Consultant A | Normally no delay | 7 weeks | |
| Consultant B | 2 weeks | 12 weeks |
| Health district | Hospital | Urgent cases | Non-urgent cases |
| Maidstone | West Kent General | About 1 week | 25 weeks |
| Preston Hall | 17 weeks | ||
| Medway | Medway Hospital: | ||
| Consultant A | Normally no delay | 32 weeks | |
| Consultant B | 8 weeks | ||
| Consultant C | 16 weeks | ||
| South East Kent | Buckland | 1–2 weeks | 50 weeks |
| Ashford | 78 weeks | ||
| Royal Victoria, Folkestone | 11 weeks | ||
| Deal | 8 weeks | ||
| Tunbridge Wells | Pembury: | ||
| Consultant A | Normally no delay | 20 weeks | |
| Consultant B | 29 weeks | ||
| Kent and Sussex: | |||
| Consultant A | 18weeks | ||
| Consultant B | 13weeks | ||
| Queen Victoria: | |||
| Consultant A | 13 weeks | ||
| Consultant B | 14 weeks | ||
| Edenbridge and District War Memorial. | 8 weeks | ||
| Crowborough War Memorial | 12 weeks | ||
| Sevenoaks | 16 weeks |