HC Deb 04 March 1954 vol 524 cc1350-1
37. Miss Ward

asked the Minister of Health whether he will request the regional hospital boards to make an inquiry into the facilities offered in outpatients' departments and the efficiency of the methods adopted for cutting out waiting time.

Mr. Iain Macleod

This is a matter which hospital boards and committees have constantly before them, and I myself make inquiries if information about unreasonable waiting comes to my notice. If my hon. Friend has particular instances in mind, I shall be happy to look into them.

Miss Ward

Is my hon. Friend aware that the problem is not necessarily just the waiting time but also concerns the variety of methods of handling outpatients, which are just as important, such as ensuring that there are plenty of seats and that tea or some other refreshment is available? Would not my right hon. Friend agree that to circulate the various arrangements, as between one hospital and another, might enable hospitals which are in a difficulty to tighten their procedure for the out-patients and improve it?

Mr. Macleod

It is my impression that information on these matters has been circulated to boards and committees, but if anything further can be done I am entirely in sympathy with my hon. Friend's suggestion, and I shall be glad to consider it.

Mr. Manuel

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that the principal concern in this matter is that a great deal of time is wasted in waiting in the out-patients' departments of many hospitals in the country? Has he any knowledge of the period waited on average, compared with that waited by private out-patients using the same hospitals? My experience is that they can walk through the department and receive almost immediate treatment, whereas in some cases other patients have to wait for many hours, with inadequate seating accommodation, in crowded ante-rooms.

Mr. Macleod

I think that all hospitals should have a block system, or something like it, of waiting appointments in the out-patients' departments. It is important to realise, however, that it is very difficult to be more precise than that. The examination of a patient which, it is thought, may take only a minute or two, may in fact uncover some disease which was unknown before, and the examination may take half an hour or more, upsetting the waiting times of all the other patients. It is very difficult to card-index patients and their diseases in this way, but I am most anxious to see that all hospitals have such facilities as are necessary. Perhaps the best way of doing it, apart from the general assurance which I have given to my hon. Friend, would be for any hon. Members to let me know when they think that the circumstances in their own area are unsatisfactory in this respect. I will look into hon. Members' comments.

Mr. Blenkinsop

Does not the Minister agree that some reduction in the number of part-time specialists and an increase in the number of full-time specialists might improve this position?

Mr. Gough

When my right hon. Friend is giving consideration to these matters, will he bear in mind the very bad conditions prevailing at the hospitals in both Horsham and Crawley, the details of which I have given him?

Mr. Macleod

I will take note of that.

Mr. Blenkinsop

Will not the Minister reply to my question?