Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what discussions he has had with hospitals in West Yorkshire on reducing the waiting list for joint replacement surgery in the region.

We have had no specific discussions. National Health Service trusts in West Yorkshire and Harrogate are working together to share waiting list information, good practice and reduce variation in care as part of the West Yorkshire Health and Care Partnership. Orthopaedic surgeons are collaborating with the network to develop approaches to address the waiting list for joint replacement and other orthopaedic conditions.

A citizen panel has been established to inform the work on elective surgery recovery and the Partnership is recruiting people on the waiting list to include their perspective in discussions.