To ask the Secretary of State for Health what his assessment is of the effects of the abolition of waiting time targets on patients awaiting operations at Barnet and Chase Farm Hospitals NHS Trust. (296643)

As set out in the “Operating Framework for the NHS in England 2009-10”, the minimum expectation is that 90 per cent. of admitted patients will start consultant-led treatment within 18-weeks from the time they are referred by their general practitioner to start of their treatment unless it is clinically appropriate to do so or they choose to wait longer.

Latest figures for August 2009 show that 94.6 per cent. of patients at Barnet and Chase Farm Hospitals NHS Trust whose treatment involved admission to hospital started their treatment within 18-weeks, and 98.5 per cent. of patients at Barnet and Chase Farm Hospitals NHS Trust whose treatment did not involve admission to hospital started their treatment within 18-weeks.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the performance was as against waiting time targets for (a) operations, (b) accident and emergency, (c) outpatient services and (d) cancer services in (i) Barnet and Chase Farm Hospitals NHS Trust, (ii) the Royal Free Hospital and (iii) Northwick Park Hospital in the latest period for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement. (296645)

Data are collected at a trust level. The figures for waiting times are in the following tables (inpatient figures are a proxy for operations data):

The performance waiting time target for inpatients is 100 per cent. within 26-weeks.

Data on accident and emergency (A&E) waiting times are not available in the format requested. The Department has set a national standard that patients should not wait more than four hours in A and E departments from arrival to admission, transfer or discharge. A 98 per cent. minimum operating figure allows for the minority of patients who clinically need more than four hours in A and E.

Latest data for quarter one 2009-10 show Barnet and Chase Farm Hospitals NHS Trust achieved 98.9 per cent., Royal Free Hampstead NHS Trust 98.7 per cent., and North West London Hospitals NHS Trust, which includes Northwick Park hospital, 98.5 per cent. The performance reported is the result of activity corresponding to A and E departments at sites within the trust and additionally activity at mapped type three facilities operated by partner primary care trusts and the independent sector. Data are split by A and E department type but are not available at hospital site level.

Published performance for the last full year and latest quarter for the three trusts has been:

For cancer waiting times, the operational standard for the two week waits standard has been set at 93 per cent., allowing patients to exercise patient choice.

The information is shown in a table which has been placed in the Library.