AQW 20950/11-15


Mr Robin Swann
Ulster Unionist Party
North Antrim


Tabled Date: 13/03/2013
Answered On Date: 27/03/2013
Priority Written: No


Question:
To ask the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety to detail the current waiting time for patients presenting with a condition requiring a hip replacement (i) to be assessed; (ii) to be seen by a consultant surgeon following initial assessment; and (iii) to have the relevant surgery following assessment by a consultant surgeon.


Answer:
Information is not collected as requested. The Department collects the waiting time for a first outpatient appointment and the waiting time for an inpatient treatment.
(i)The waiting time for a first outpatient appointment with a consultant in the Trauma and Orthopaedic (T&O) Surgery specialty, at 31st December 2012, the most recent quarter for which official statistics are available, is outlined in the table below.
Patients Waiting for an Appointment, by Weeks Waiting
Total Waiting
0-6
>6-9
>9-13
>13-18
>18-21
>21-26
>26
Northern Ireland
5,134
2,040
2,142
1,870
249
308
522
12,265
Source: Departmental Return CH3
(ii) The Department does not collect the current waiting time for patients seen by a consultant surgeon following an initial assessment.
(iii) Hip replacement surgery, in the T & O specialty is only provided in the Belfast, Southern and Western HSC Trusts.
The average number of weeks waiting for hip replacement surgery in the T & O Surgery specialty, at 31st December 2012, the most recent quarter for which official statistics are available is 16.5 weeks.