HC Deb 31 October 1955 vol 545 cc648-9
15. Mr. Vaughan-Morgan

asked the Minister of Health what progress has been made with the development of voluntary effort in National Health Service hospitals.

Mr. Iain Macleod

I will, with permission, circulate the information in the OFFICIAL REPORT. I should like to take this opportunity of saying how gratified I am at the extent of the work now being carried out by a variety of organisations, and how much I should welcome its development particularly in mental and mental deficiency hospitals.

Mr. Vaughan-Morgan

Can my right hon. Friend say whether he contemplates any steps to advance this work even further?

Mr. Macleod

The figures are really quite impressive, and there has been a considerable surge of voluntary effort during the last few years in hospitals. I do everything I can, by every means that I can think of, to encourage this.

The following is the information:

VOLUNTARY WORK IN NATIONAL HEALTH SERVICE HOSPITALS
Total number of hospitals reviewed 2,655*
Total number of mental and mental deficiency hospitals reviewed 311*

A. Leagues of Friends and similar bodies:
(a) All Hospitals
Hospitals helped by Leagues of Friends 877
Hospitals helped by similar bodies 419
Hospitals with no such voluntary body 1,058
Hospitals with plans for forming Leagues of Friends 214
(b) Mental and Mental Deficiency Hospitals only
Hospitals helped by Leagues of Friends 62
Hospitals helped by similar bodies 22
Hospitals with no such voluntary body 181
Hospitals with plans for forming Leagues of Friends 41
B. British Red Cross and similar bodies
(a) All Hospitals
Hospitals helped by British Red Cross Society 1,209
Hospitals helped by The Order of St. John 692
Hospitals helped by The Women' Voluntary Services 930
Hospitals helped by other similar organizations 925
Hospitals without help of this kind 520
(b) Mental and Menial Deficiency Hospitals
Hospitals helped by British Red Cross Society 53
Hospitals helped by The Order of St. John 23
Hospitals helped by The Women's Voluntary Services 54
Hospitals helped by other organisations 97
Hospitals without help of this kind 102
* These figures include a number of very small hospitals for which returns were not made.
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