They then try to keep the length of time people have to wait for an operation as short as possible. The figures show how hospitals, health authorities and GP fundholders are doing. The figures show the percentage of patients who went into hospital for treatment between April 1996 and March 1997. They show the percentage of patients going into hospital within 3 and 12 months of being listed. For this table we have chosen general surgery, urology, trauma and orthopaedics, ear nose and throat, ophthalmology, oral surgery, gynaecology, cardio-thoracic surgery, cardiology, and paediatric surgery.
General surgery includes surgery of many different kinds.
Some examples are hernia repair, removing gall bladders and removing varicose veins. Urology relates to the bladder and the kidneys. Trauma and orthopaedics is to do with the bones and joints. Hip replacement is an example. Ear, nose and throat includes operations such as removing tonsils and adenoids.