§ 18. Mr. Hamiltonasked the Secretary of State for Scotland the ratio of staff per 100 in-patients at the Northern Hospital, Dunfermline; and the national average per 100 in-patients in Scotland as a whole for general hospitals having 50–300 beds.
§ The Joint Under-Secretary of State for Scotland (Mr. J. Nixon Browne)The ratio for this hospital in March, 1956, was 100 total staff per 100 average patients, as against 93 per 100 in March, 1955. Figures for the whole of Scotland in March, 1956, are not yet available: in March, 1955, the ratio for general hospitals with 51–300 beds was 132 per 100 and for chronic sick hospitals was 75 per 100. Some of the work carried on in this particular hospital is appropriate to the latter, i.e. to the chronic sick, rather than to the former category.
§ Mr. HamiltonThat was more or less the answer I received last week, but is the Minister aware that the Group Medical Superintendent, who is an authority on this question, has expressed alarm at the inadequacy of the staff in this hospital and in the West Fife hospital, and will he look into the matter to see whether something cannot be done to remedy the position?
§ Mr. BrowneYes, Sir, we will look again at the matter, but as far as we can see, the staffing seems to be about right.