Table A Correlation matrix for variables included in analysis of factors associated with waiting for inpatient elective general surgery in England, December 1999

	No of patients waiting 6 ³ months	No of finished consultant episodes	Rates of waiting >6 months*	% of patients waiting >6 months	No of available beds	Bed occupancy rate (%)	No of anaesthetists per 100 beds	No of general surgeons per 100 beds	No of operating theatres	No of dedicated day case theatres	Population in health authority	No of private hospitals and clinics s	No of beds in private hospitals and clinics	No of people aged >65	Jarman score	Standardised mortality ratio	Rate of long term limiting illness
No of patients waiting ³ 6 months	1.00
No of finished consultant episodes	0.44	1.00
Rates of waiting >6 months*	0.81	- 0.05	1.00
% of patients waiting >6 months	0.72	- 0.02	0.86	1.00
No of available beds	0.44	0.73	0.04	- 0.04	1.00
Bed occupancy rate (%)	0.01	- 0.13	0.06	0.02	- 0.11	1.00
No of anaesthetists per 100 beds	0.38	0.33	0.38	0.40	0.16	- 0.04	1.00
No of general surgeons per 100 beds	0.18	0.22	0.15	0.17	- 0.10	0.08	0.51	1.00
No of operating theatres	0.49	0.76	0.12	0.08	0.82	- 0.10	0.47	0.14	1.00
No of dedicated day case theatres	0.28	0.43	0.06	0.03	0.49	0.04	0.25	0.08	0.48	1.00
Population in health authority	0.09	- 0.11	0.17	0.09	- 0.02	0.09	0.10	0.02	- 0.02	- 0.03	1.00
No of private hospitals and clinics	- 0.01	- 0.17	0.07	0.04	- 0.05	0.21	0.18	0.28	- 0.03	- 0.01	0.17	1.00
No of beds in private hospitals and clinics	- 0.01	- 0.20	0.08	0.05	- 0.09	0.16	0.08	0.23	- 0.08	- 0.03	0.30	0.84	1.00
No of people aged >65	- 0.06	0.03	- 0.11	- 0.08	- 0.04	- 0.12	- 0.11	- 0.19	- 0.05	- 0.01	0.14	- 0.16	- 0.20	1.00
Jarman score	- 0.01	0.05	- 0.08	- 0.20	0.26	0.14	0.02	0.03	0.21	0.13	- 0.22	0.23	0.06	- 0.37	1.00
Standardised mortality ratio	0.00	0.25	- 0.16	- 0.16	0.20	- 0.08	- 0.11	- 0.05	0.18	- 0.06	- 0.39	- 0.23	- 0.31	- 0.39	0.53	1.00
Rates of long term limiting illness	- 0.04	0.28	- 0.24	- 0.24	0.28	- 0.21	- 0.19	- 0.17	0.20	0.02	- 0.44	- 0.28	- 0.44	0.15	0.48	0.75	1.00

*For calculating rates of prolonged waiting, the numerator was the number of patients waiting >6 months and the denominator the number of finished consultant episodes.