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17 Mar 2005 : Column 425W—continued

HEALTH

Alcohol-related Deaths

Mr. Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will estimate the number of deaths caused by alcohol in each year since 1997, broken down by age and gender. [222138]

Mr. Timms: I have been asked to reply.

The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician. I have asked him to reply.

Letter from Colin Mowl to Mr. Paul Burstow, dated 17 March 2005:

The National Statistician has been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question asking what estimate has been made of the number of deaths caused by alcohol in each year since 1997, broken down by age and gender. I am replying in his absence.

The information requested is given in the reply to David Amess MP, Official Report 53, column 78W.

Broomfield Hospital

Mr. Hurst: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many operations were performed at Broomfield hospital, Chelmsford, Essex in each year from 1990 to 2004. [221952]

Dr. Ladyman: Information is not collected by individual hospital. All operations for Mid Essex hospitals national health service trust, of which Broomfield hospital is a part, are shown in the table. Information prior to 1992–93 is not held centrally.

	Mid Essex hospital services trust	Mid Essex hospitals NHS trust
1992–93	23,695	—
1993–94	21,804	—
1994–95	26,127	—
1995–96	—	30,766
1996–97	—	37,055
1997–98	—	38,420
1998–99	—	37,662
1999–2000	—	36,733
2000–01	—	36,781
2001–02	—	39,459
2002–03	—	42,888
2003–04	—	43,219

Notes:
1. All operations count of episodes—these figures represent a count of all finished consultant episodes (FCEs) where the procedure was mentioned in any of the 12 (four prior to 2002–03) operation fields in a hospital episode statistics (HES) record. A record is only included once in each count, even if an operation is mentioned in more than one operation field of the record.
2. The main operation is the first recorded operation in the HES data set and is usually the most resource intensive procedure performed during the episode. It is appropriate to use main operation when looking at admission details, e.g. time waited, but the figures for all operations count of episodes" give a more complete count of episodes with an operation.
3. Secondary procedure—as well as the main operative procedure, there are up to 11 (13 prior to 2002–03) secondary operation fields in HES that show secondary or additional procedures performed on the patient during the episode of care.
4. Figures have not been adjusted for shortfalls in data (i.e. the data are ungrossed).
Source:
HES, Department of Health.





 
17 Mar 2005 : Column 426W
 

Mr. Hurst: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many in-patients were treated at Broomfield hospital, Chelmsford, Essex in each year from 1990 to 2004. [221953]

Dr. Ladyman: Information is not collected by individual hospital. The number of finished admission episodes for Mid Essex hospitals national health service trust, of which Broomfield hospital is a part, is shown in the table. Information prior to 1992–93 is not held centrally.

	Mid Essex hospital services trust	Mid Essex hospitals NHS trust
1992–93	37,482	—
1993–94	35,899	—
1994–95	41,504	—
1995–96	—	48.496
1996–97	—	53,346
1997–98	—	54,553
1998–99	—	53,806
1999–2000	—	52,605
2000–01	—	53,999
2001–02	—	57,569
2002–03	—	61,131
2003–04	—	64,447

Notes:
1. A finished admission episode is the first" period of on in-patient care under one consultant within one healthcare provider. Please note that admissions do not represent the number of in-patients, as a person may have more than one admission within the year.
2. Figures have not been adjusted for shortfalls in data (i.e. the data are ungrossed).
Source:
Hospital episode statistics, Department of Health.

Mr. Hurst: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the average waiting times for patients undergoing cataract operations at Broomfield hospital, Chelmsford, Essex were in each year from 1990 to 2004. [221954]

Dr. Ladyman: Information is not collected by individual hospital. The number of days patients wait for cataract operations at Mid Essex hospitals national health service trust, of which Broomfield hospital is a part, for each year from 1992–93 to 2003–04 are shown in the table. Data prior to 1992 is not held centrally.

	Median waiting time (days)
1992–93	277
1993–94	262
1994–95	257
1995–96	201
1996–97	273
1997–98	293
1998–99	371
1999–2000	349
2000–01	332
2001–02	328
2002–03	333
2003–04	218

Notes:
1. The main operation is the first recorded operation in the hospital episode statistics (HES) data set and is usually the most resource intensive procedure performed during the episode. It is appropriate to use main operation when looking at admission details, e.g. time waited, but the figures for all operations count of episodes" give a more complete count of episodes with an operation. Cataracts operations defined as 071,072,074,075 (OPCS4 Procedure).
2. A finished in-year admission is the first period of in-patient care under one consultant within one healthcare provider, excluding admissions beginning before 1 April at the start of the data-year. Please note that admissions do not represent the number of in-patients, as a person may have more than one admission within the year.
3. Time waited statistics from HES are not the same as the published waiting list statistics. HES provides counts and time waited for all patients admitted to hospital within a given period, whereas the published waiting list statistics count those waiting for treatment on a specific date and how long they have been on the waiting list. Also, HES calculates the time waited as the difference between the admission and decision to admit dates. Unlike published waiting list statistics, this is not adjusted for self-deferrals or periods of medical/social suspension.
4. Figures have not been adjusted for shortfalls in data (i.e. the data are ungrossed)
Source:
HES, Department of Health.





 
17 Mar 2005 : Column 428W
 

Cancer Care (North Somerset)

Brian Cotter: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what the average waiting time for those diagnosed with suspected cancer within the North Somerset primary care trust area to see a specialist following an initial GP referral was in the last period for which figures are available; [221874]

(2) how many people have been diagnosed with suspected cancer within the North Somerset primary care trust area in each of the last two years; and how many were able to see a specialist within two weeks of a GP referral. [221875]

Ms Rosie Winterton: The information requested on average waiting times is not collected centrally.

Information on the number of patients referred to a specialist following a referral from their general practitioner is available on a provider rather than commissioner, such as North Somerset primary care trust, basis. Information for Western area health national health service trust, including the percentage seen within two weeks, is shown in the table.
Urgent referrals received within 24 hours and within two weeks: all suspected cancers—Weston Area NHS Trust (RA3)

				Number of patients seen during the quarter by a specialist after 14 days of the decision to refer by their GP
Quarter/year	Percentage compliance with the two week standard	Total referrals seen during the quarter	Number of patients seen during the quarter by a specialist within 14 days of the decision to refer by their GP	15 to 16 days	17 to 21 days	22 to 28 days	after 28 days
Q3/2004–05	100.00	577	577	0	0	0	0
Q2/2004–05	100.00	317	317	0	0	0	0
Q1/2004–05	100.00	434	434	0	0	0	0
Q4/2003–04	100.00	157	157	0	0	0	0
Q3/2003–04	100.00	21	21	0	0	0	0
Q2/2003–04	100.00	26	26	0	0	0	0
Q1/2003–04	94.12	17	16	0	0	0	0

Source:
CWT-DB provider based

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