§ 48. Dr. D. Johnsonasked the Minister of Health if he is aware of the wide disparity of in-patient hospital costs revealed by his Department's recently published hospital costing returns, varying in the case of acute hospitals from £16 Os. 1d. per patient per week for the Middlesbrough General Hospital to £36 9s. 1d. per patient per week for the Royal Northern Hospital with all gradations of cost in between showing wide differences even for apparently similar hospitals; and what steps he proposes to take to find the reason for, and eliminate if possible, such disparities.
§ Mr. Walker-SmithI am aware of the wide disparity of costs revealed by the returns. Some variations are inevitable even in hospitals classified in the same broad category, because of differences in local conditions and in the services provided. It is, however, one of the objects of the new costing arrangements to provide a firmer basis of comparison of detailed hospital costs and I have asked hospital authorities to make full use of the published information with a view to improving efficiency and securing economies.
§ Dr. JohnsonWhilst appreciating what my right hon. and learned Friend is doing in this respect, may I ask him, in view of some of the striking figures I have quoted, if he will not have the widest consultations in this matter concerning hospital costs, including perhaps owners of competent and entirely reputable nursing homes, who apparently are able to run their establishments more cheaply in many instances than do the management committees of these hospitals?
§ Mr. Walker-SmithI have already asked regional hospital hoards to report by 1st June, 1959, showing the action taken on the costing returns and, where possible, giving estimates of savings which have resulted.