§ 15. Mr. Vaughan-Morganasked the Minister of Health what progress has been made with the development of voluntary effort in National Health Service hospitals.
§ Mr. Iain MacleodI 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-MorganCan my right hon. Friend say whether he contemplates any steps to advance this work even further?
§ Mr. MacleodThe 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. |