§ 1. Mr. John Rodgersasked the Minister of Health if he will inform all local authorities of the facilities available in the country for the rehabilitation of men and women suffering from tuberculosis, and the desirability of using these facilities to their full capacity.
§ The Minister of Health (Mr. Marquand)The attention of local health authorities has been drawn, most recently in July last, to the means available for this purpose, and I am sure they will share my view that they should assist in using these means to the full.
§ Mr. RodgersIs the Minister aware that the British Legion village of Preston Hall in Kent today has 50 vacancies for ambulant ex-Service men, and will he again impress upon the local authorities their moral obligations in this matter?
§ Mr. MarquandI am sure that this exchange of question and answer will draw attention to the existence of these facilities.
§ 2. Dr. Broughtonasked the Minister of Health how many beds were available in England and Wales for tuberculosis patients on 1st January, 1949, 1950 and 1951, respectively; and how many patients were awaiting admission to the beds on those dates.
§ Mr. MarquandComparable figures are not available for these three years, but hospital board returns at 31st December, 1949, for the first whole year of the Health Service, showed 28,450 beds in commission (including about 1,250 beds 1044 used in hospitals outside the Health Service) and a waiting list of 10,980. Figures at 1st January, 1951, are not yet ready.
§ Dr. BroughtonWhile appreciating the progress that has been made, may I ask my right hon. Friend if he will give his closest attention to this problem, and do his utmost to reduce the size of the waiting list of these patients, some of whom are infectious to other people?
§ Mr. MarquandYes, Sir, certainly. I was glad that I was able to give rather encouraging figures to the House last week, and I certainly intend to keep very close personal contact with this particular problem.
§ Mr. Gerald WilliamsWill the Minister say when he proposes to take advantage of the beds available in Switzerland?
§ Mr. MarquandThere is another Question on that matter on the Order Paper today.
§ 11. Mr. Blackasked the Minister of Health the number of tuberculosis patients in England and Wales awaiting admission to hospitals and sanatoria at the latest convenient date.
§ Mr. MarquandThe number at present on the waiting list, as provisionally ascertained, is approximately 10,400.
§ Mr. MarquandThe figure is about 600 fewer than a year ago. This is the first decrease recorded since the war.
§ Lieut.-Colonel ElliotIn view of those figures, does the Minister not think that an addition of 1,000 beds to the available beds to deal with tuberculosis would be a very desirable thing, and that it should not be allowed to drag on in the way in which it is now being allowed to drag on?
§ Mr. MarquandI have already told the right hon. and gallant Gentleman that I have not yet had a complete report, but such information as I have does not indicate that anything like 1,000 beds would be available.
§ Lieut.-Colonel ElliotHow does the right hon. Gentleman square that with the relevant figure for Scotland given by his colleague the Joint Under-Secretary of State for Scotland?
§ Mr. MarquandI am sure that the right hon. and gallant Gentleman does not want me to try to take the beds away from Scottish patients.
§ Mr. ShurmerIs my right hon. Friend aware that there are already a number of sanatoria in Switzerland ready to talk on this matter and to take patients at a reasonable cost?
§ Mr. MarquandYes, Sir. I have had two officials in Switzerland recently looking into the matter, and for certain technical reasons it has been decided to send out, tomorrow I think, a senior medical officer to amplify the report they have already rendered.
§ Colonel Stoddart-ScottHow can the Minister say that the size of the waiting list is being reduced when he has already this afternoon, in reply to Question No. 1, given a figure of 10,000 for those waiting a year ago, whereas it is now 10,400?
§ Mr. MarquandI should like notice of that question. I think my figures do, in fact, show a reduction from 10,980 to 10,400. It may not be precisely 600, but it is very near to it.
§ 14. Lieut.-Colonel Liptonasked the Minister of Health whether he will make a statement as to the future of the tuberculosis clinic at 2, Effra Road, Brixton.
§ Mr. MarquandIt is proposed to close these unsatisfactory premises as soon as possible and to transfer the work to St. Francis' Hospital, Dulwich.
§ Lieut.-Colonel LiptonAs some of the patients of the now inadequately housed clinic in Brixton may have to pay up to 1s. 6d. for a rather complicated journey to Dulwich, will my right hon. Friend arrange to investigate the possibility of a new clinic in Brixton?
§ Mr. MarquandVery up-to-date and modern facilities are now being supplied in Dulwich, which are an enormous improvement on what was available before. I am assured that the distance is only about one mile, but I will certainly gladly look into the accuracy of that information.