§ 51. Mr. Sorensenasked the Minister of Health what steps have been taken to secure more male orderlies for service in physiotherapy departments of hospitals in order that they can assist the patients to have appropriate exercises without which the patients are involved in longer treatment than is necessary and thus delay others from having treatment.
§ Mr. Iain MacleodIt is for hospital boards or committees to decide whether to employ orderlies in their physical medicine or geriatric departments.
§ Mr. SorensenHas the Minister taken any steps to encourage the boards to find these orderlies who, if found, could certainly relieve a good deal of the pressure upon the more specialised treatments which patients are receiving and thus enable patients to go out much earlier?
§ Mr. MacleodI am aware of the position at Leytonstone, to which, think, the hon. Gentleman is referring, but it is essentially a matter for the management committees to decide whether they are prepared to take such action.