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Mr. Ruffley
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the average waiting time for an out-patient appointment was in each strategic health authority in England in each year since 1998. [120421]
Mr. Hutton
The information requested for 1998–99 to 2002–03 has been placed in the Library. The tables show the estimated median waiting time, in weeks, for first outpatient appointments following written referral by general practitioner from 1998–99 to 2002–03. Over this period the number of people waiting over 26 weeks for their first outpatient appointment fell from 144,200 at end March 1999 to 17 at end March 2003.
Dr. Evan Harris
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what targets have been set on the maximum length of time patients should wait for their complaints
| Recommended time limits for resolving Complaints in the NHS | |
| Event | Time recommended |
| Local Resolution | |
| Oral complaint | Dealt with on the spot or referred |
| Acknowledgement | Two working days of receipt, or full reply within five working days |
| Full response by trust/health authority, or family health service practitioner | 20 working days of receipt, or 10 working days for practice-based complaints, with extended period if health authority becomes involved |
| Independent Review for trust/health authority complaints | |
| Acknowledgement by convener of request for Independent Review | Two working days of receipt |
| Decision by convener to set up panel, or not | 20 working days of receipt of request |
| Appointment of panel members | 20 working days of decision by convener to establish a panel |
| Draft report of panel | 50 working days of formal appointment of panel and assessors |
| Final report of panel | 10 further working days |
| Response to complainant by trust/health authority | 20 working days of receipt of panel's report |
| Independent Review for family health services practitioner complaints | |
| Acknowledgement by convener of request for Independent Review | Two working days of receipt |
| Decision by convener to set up panel, or not | 10 working days of receipt of request |
| Appointment of panel members | 10 working days of decision by convener to establish a panel |
| Draft report of panel | 30 working days of formal appointment of panel and assessors |
| Final report of panel | 10 further working days |
| Final report sent to complainant by chief executive of health authority | Five working days of receipt of panel's report |