HC Deb 04 February 1957 vol 564 cc25-6
48. Mr. Sorensen

asked the Minister of Health what further advance has been made in the use of analgesia and the supply of apparatus for this purpose in hospitals and in domiciliary practice; and, in the light of experience during the past year, what is the merit and cost of trilene, as compared with analgesia, in respect of confinements.

Mr. Vosper

No information is available about the use of analgesics in hospitals, or by general practitioners. In 1955 inhalational analgesics were administered by domiciliary midwives in 75 per cent. of the confinements attended by them, compared with 72 per cent. in 1954, and the number of sets of apparatus in use rose from 6,489 to 6,764. I am advised that trilene serves broadly the same clinical purposes as gas and air but the apparatus is more easily transportable. The costs of the types of apparatus in general use are broadly comparable.

Mr. Sorensen

Is it not true that in many respects trilene is more suitable than other analgesics, valuable as these have been in the past? What is being done to make trilene available for domiciliary purposes much more than obtains at the moment?

Mr. Vosper

It is certainly true that the use of trilene is on the increase. At the end of 1955 about 256 trilene sets were in use, while the number at the end of 1956 had risen to about 900. As its value is appreciated, trilene will become more easily available.

Mr. Blenkinsop

Why are hospital records not maintained? Would not the right hon. Gentleman approach his colleague the present Chancellor of the Exchequer who used, in the old days, to say that no financial expenditure would be too great to provide full facilities for analgesia in childbirth? I am sure that the right hon. Gentleman would find a very sympathetic friend in the Chancellor of the Exchequer for any money which he wanted.

Mr. Vosper

I am willing to look at the point. I am not convinced that to ask hospitals to send us even further returns would spread the use of trilene inhalers.

Mr. E. L. Mallalieu

In view of the great difficulty which sometimes occurs in the portability of gas and air analgesics, would it not be a good thing to encourage the use of trilene more than has hitherto been the practice of the Ministry?

Mr. Vosper

I hope that my original Answer will encourage the use of trilene.