The information requested is not available in the format requested. However, the following table shows the average (median) waiting times for a first out-patient appointment in Merseyside primary care trusts (PCTs), or organisations in existence at the time, in each year since 1997.
Health authority Median waiting times (weeks) 1997-98 Liverpool 7.8 Sefton 7.3 St. Helens and Knowsley 6.5 Wirral 7.9 1998-99 Liverpool 7.8 Sefton 8.2 St. Helens and Knowsley 7.0 Wirral 8.2 1999-2000 Liverpool 8.5 Sefton 8.8 St. Helens and Knowsley 8.3 Wirral 8.4 2000-01 Liverpool 8.7 Sefton 9.3 St. Helens and Knowsley 7.8 Wirral 8.3 2001-02 Liverpool 7.8 Sefton 7.8 St. Helens and Knowsley 7.1 Wirral 7.6
PCT Median waiting times (weeks) 2002-2003 Bebington and West Wirral 7.5 Birkenhead and Wallasey 7.6 Central Liverpool 7.5 Halton 4.9 Knowsley 7.3 North Liverpool 7.5 South Liverpool 7.3 South Sefton 7.3 Southport and Formby 7.7 St. Helens 6.8 2003-2004 Bebington and West Wirral 6.7 Birkenhead and Wallasey 6.7 Central Liverpool 7.6 Halton 5.1 Knowsley 7.1 North Liverpool 7.1 South Liverpool 7.6 South Sefton 7.0 Southport and Formby 7.6 St. Helens 7.1 2004-2005 Bebington and West Wirral 6.5 Birkenhead and Wallasey 6.3 Central Liverpool 7.7 Halton 5.7 Knowsley 7.2 North Liverpool 7.1 South Liverpool 7.5 South Sefton 7.1 Southport and Formby 7.9 St. Helens 7.2 2005-2006 Bebington and West Wirral 6.1 Birkenhead and Wallasey 6.0 Central Liverpool 7.2 Halton 5.3 Knowsley 6.7 North Liverpool 6.7 South Liverpool 7.0 South Sefton 6.5 Southport and Formby 7.0 St. Helens 6.5 2006-2007 Halton and St. Helens 5.9 Knowsley 6.6 Liverpool 6.4 Sefton 6.1 Wirral 4.6
Month end PCT Median waiting times (weeks) March 2005 Bebington and West Wirral 4.4 Birkenhead and Wallasey 4.6 Central Liverpool 5.2 Halton 4.0 Knowsley 4.6 North Liverpool 4.5 South Liverpool 4.8 South Sefton 4.6 Southport and Formby 5.2 St. Helens 4.3 March 2006 Bebington and West Wirral 3.3 Birkenhead and Wallasey 3.7 Central Liverpool 3.9 Halton 3.4 Knowsley 4.0 North Liverpool 3.6 South Liverpool 3.9 South Sefton 3.5 Southport and Formby 3.6 St. Helens 3.6 March 2007 Halton and St. Helens 3.3 Knowsley 3.1 Liverpool 3.2 Sefton 3.2 Wirral 2.9 March 2008 Halton and St. Helens 2.1 Knowsley 2.1 Liverpool 2.1 Sefton 2.4 Wirral 2.2 November 2008 Halton and St. Helens 2.1 Knowsley 2.6 Liverpool 2.9 Sefton 2.7 Wirral 2.2 Notes: 1. The average waiting times given are estimated from quarterly and monthly Korner returns submitted by health authorities/PCTs to the Department of Health. 2. Data on waiting times for outpatient appointments was first collected in 1997-98. All patients seen by length of time waited was collected, but only a proportion of the patients not seen. The total number of patients still waiting was first collected in 2004-05. Therefore, to give a meaningful time series data for both seens and not seens have been provided where data was collected. Calculating the average on patients not seen is the preferred method, in line with the method for inpatient waits. 3. The figures show the median waiting times for patients waiting for a first consultant outpatient appointment following a general practitioner referral. Figures relating to patients who have been seen are based on quarterly data aggregated to an annual figure, and the figures relating to patients who have yet to be seen are based on a stock month end figure at the end of the year. Calculations are made on aggregate data, rather than patient level data, and therefore are only estimates of the position on average waits. 4. The median, rather than the mean, is the preferred measure for average waiting times. This is because the mean waiting time can be skewed by small numbers of long waiters, and is therefore higher than the median. 5. Figures are shown for organisations in existence at the time.