§ 7. Mr. Swinglerasked the Minister of. Health how many requests for maternity beds in north Staffordshire have had to be refused in the last twelve months; and what steps are being taken to increase the number of maternity beds available under the National Health Service.
§ Mr. VosperOn my information, no request based on medical grounds, and 621 requests on social grounds were refused. The Regional Hospital Board is aware of the need but unable to forecast when it will be possible to increase accommodation in this area, having regard to other urgent schemes.
§ Mr. SwinglerDoes this not show that there is a great need to extend maternity accommodation? Should it not be possible for mothers to have at any rate their first children in hospitals if they wish to do so—upon social grounds? Will the Minister therefore pay some attention to this matter so as to offer some prospect of extending this part of the National Health Service in the future?
§ Mr. VosperThe Regional Hospital Board appreciates that there is a need here, but it equally considers that there are more urgent priorities. I should make it clear to the hon. Member that as far back as 1951 the Central Health Services Council decided that there should be a selective approach to this matter, and that not every mother could expect to go into a hospital even for her first child.
§ Dr. SummerskillDoes the Minister realise that the Answer which he has given, that 600 women have been refused accommodation on social grounds, has the most serious implications? It is impossible to divorce this matter from housing conditions, and if these women live in overcrowded conditions and are refused admission to hospital the fact must inevitably be reflected in maternal mortality statistics in a few years' time.
§ Mr. VosperI appreciate that, but I should say that of the 621 requests made on social grounds, which were refused, the Board considered that 380 of them could not be justified on social grounds.