§ 41. Mr. Blenkinsopasked the Minister of Health what standards are now used for calculating the needs of an area for acute, chronic and maternity hospital beds per 1,000 of the population.
§ Mr. Walker-SmithI do not think that this can be decided by rule of thumb, but only by the needs of the area concerned. It is, in the first place, for hospital boards to explain to me, in connection with any building project, the beds they consider necessary to meet the needs of the area.
§ Mr. BlenkinsopWhilst welcoming the Minister's statement, may I ask whether he is aware that in certain regions there is some anxiety and that figures are quoted which suggest a very low provision of bed accommodation in those areas?
§ Mr. Walker-SmithI am sorry that there should be these anxieties in any region. I hope that careful and objective study of the facts will help to dispel them.