§ 46. Mr. E. L. Mallalieuasked tae Minister of Health if he is aware that patients in pain in Scunthorpe are kept waiting for a month before waiting for an appointment with an orthopaedic consultant; and what steps he will take to prevent this continuing.
§ The Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Health (Mr. Richard Thompson)I am aware that the normal waiting time is about a month, but urgent cases can be seen without delay. If the hon. and learned Member will let me have details of any cases where patients in pain are having to wait I will be glad to look into them.
§ Mr. MallalieuWhilst I am very grateful for that reply, will not the Parliamentary Secretary try to speed up matters in this fast-growing town by the appointment of additional registrars or some such experts in the orthopaedic department?
§ Mr. ThompsonIf I thought that that would help I would certainly give serious consideration to it, but if a general practitioner refers the case as urgent the patient is seen without delay. Alternatively, a patient in pain can be seen at once by the casualty department.
§ 47. Mr. E. L. Mallalieuasked the Minister of Health when he expects the work on the reorganisation of the hospitals in Scunthorpe to be finished.
§ Mr. R. ThompsonIf all goes well, in 1963.
§ Mr. MallalieuIs the hon. Gentleman aware that there has been no start as yet? Was not a start promised a year ago, and cannot some date earlier than 1963 be spoken about?
§ Mr. ThompsonI appreciate the hon. and learned Member's very proper concern with this matter. The reorganisation of which he speaks depends upon a major scheme now being planned for the development of Scunthorpe and District War Memorial Hospital. It is a £640,000 scheme and will include 103 more beds, additional outpatients', X-ray, pathology, physiotherapy and operating theatre accommodation, and we shall press on with it as fast as we can.