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Dept of Health

Answer

Roger Casale: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will set out, with statistical evidence relating as closely as possible to Wimbledon constituency, the effects of changes to departmental policy since 1997 on Wimbledon constituency. [224296] Dr. Ladyman: The Government have put in place a programme of national health service investment and reform since 1997 to improve service delivery in all parts of the United Kingdom. There is significant evidence that these policies have yielded considerable benefits for the Wimbledon constituency. For example: Currently, within Sutton and Merton Primary Care Trust (PCT), no one is waiting more than nine months for inpatient treatment. This is down from 603 in June 2002. At the end of December 2004, the number of patients waiting over 13 weeks for outpatient treatment within Sutton and Merton PCT was 265; from 586 in June 2002. No one was waiting over 17 weeks for first outpatient appointment. 100 per cent. of people are getting access to their general practitioner within two working days in the Sutton and Merton PCT area. This is an improvement on 82.4 per cent. in June 2002 for people wanting an appointment with their GP. In June 2003, at Epsom and St. Helier University Hospitals NHS Trust, 85.4 per cent. of patients spent less than four hours in accident and emergency from arrival to admission, transfer, or discharge. Figures for December 2004 show an improvement to 95.3 per cent. In the South West London Strategic Health Authority (SHA) area, death rates from cancer per 100,000 population have fallen to 172.7 in 2003; from 197.9 in 1997. In the South West London SHA area, death rates from coronary heart disease per 100,000 population have fallen to 101.9 in 2003; from 130.6 in 1997. In the borough of Merton, death rates from cancer per 100,000 population have fallen to 170.8 in 2003; from 197.5 in 1997. In the borough of Merton, death rates from coronary heart disease per 100,000 population have fallen to 99.7 in 2003; from 129.7 in 1997. Between September 1999 and September 2004, the number of consultants at Epsom and St. Helier University Hospitals NHS Trust has increased from 157 to 200. Latest figures, as at September 2004, show that there are 64 more GPs in the Sutton and Merton PCT area now than there were in September 2001. Latest figures, for September 2004, show that there are currently 165 dentists in the Sutton and Merton PCT area. Over the period 2003 to 2006, Sutton and Merton PCT received an overall increase in allocation of £87.5 million and for 2006 to 2008, an overall increase of £72.1 million. Better healthcare closer to home is the strategy from the health and social care organisations in Merton, Sutton and Mid Surrey to modernise and improve upon local health service. Since 2002, the trust has appointed 13 modern matrons, resulting in huge improvements in all aspects of care across the trust. A replacement computed tomography scanner was delivered to Epsom General Hospital in January 2002.

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

432 c1440W;432 c1436-7W; 224296

Session

2004-05

Subjects

Government departments Policy Department of Health Wimbledon

Contains statistics

Yes

Link

View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk