HC Deb 03 May 1951 vol 487 cc1394-5
11. Mr. Somerville Hastings

asked the Minister of Health why the comprehensive health centre which the Sheffield Health Committee decided to inaugurate in 1948 by conversion of the Frith Park maternity and child welfare centre is not yet in operation; and what is holding up the anticipated progress.

Mr. Marquand

I understand that the doctors concerned are now unwilling to co-operate.

Mr. Hastings

Can my right hon. Friend use his good offices with these difficult doctors, so that at any rate we may have one health centre in operation as an experiment before long?

Mr. Marquand

Nothing would please me better than that the doctors should co-operate, because approval for the centre was given quite a long time ago. If my hon. Friend has any suggestions about action which I might take, I should be very glad if he will give them to me.

Mr. Hastings

Would my right hon. Friend consider calling a meeting of the difficult doctors? It is not all the doctors in the neighbourhood who are involved. Could he not arrange for a meeting of such doctors and put the case to them?

Mr. Marquand

I would be very glad to look into that possibility.

Lieut.-Colonel Elliot

Is it not a little odd that everybody should be out of step in this matter except the Minister?