To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many hospital in-patient episodes lasted longer than (a) 6 weeks and (b) 13 weeks in the last year for which figures are available. [109941]

There were a total 12,357,320 finished hospital in-patient consultant episodes in National Health Service hospitals in England in 2001–02. Of these, 195,762 lasted more than six weeks of which 55,347 lasted more than 13 weeks.

Note:

Figures given above have not been adjusted for shortfalls in data.