HC Deb 04 July 1960 vol 626 cc26-7
36. Mr. Stonehouse

asked the Minister of Health what steps he is taking to improve hospital facilites in the West Midlands area, in view of the long wait necessary before patients needing treatment can be admitted.

The Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Health (Miss Edith Pitt)

The Birmingham Regional Hospital Board has under active consideration the waiting lists at hospitals in its regon with a view to reducing to a minmum both numbers and waiting times. Urgent cases are admitted without delay.

Mr. Stonehouse

Is the Minister aware that the staff of the existing hospitals do a magnificent job despite poor facilities in some cases? Is the hon. Lady aware that there is concern in the area that there is discrimination in favour of fee-paying patients and that in regard to some operations there is a long delay? Can the hon. Lady say when it is proposed to build a new hospital?

Miss Pitt

First, I thank the hon. Member for his tribute to the staffs, which is well deserved. I know of no general complaint that fee-paying patients receive priority. That is an entirely different question and one which the hon. Member might like to put down. The regional board is very concerned about waiting lists in its area, as I hope my answer indicates. It is taking action and selected waiting lists are being scrutinised to assess the extent to which they are reliable for estimating the need for additional beds, operating sessions, out-patient sessions, medical staff, and so on, and variation in the provision of hospital facilities in various parts of the region.

Dr. Summerskill

Can the hon. Lady tell us more about these long waiting lists? This has been going on for years. Is it due to the shortage of specialists in certain fields? What are these fields? If that is so, is it proposed to increase the establishment?

Miss Pitt

I am not sure whether the right hon. Lady refers only to the Midland region, which the hon. Member for Wednesbury (Mr. Stonehouse) refers to as the West Midlands area. The pattern there is much the same as elsewhere throughout the country. There is a variety of reasons why we are short of beds and this, in turn, means waiting lists. Generally, however, urgent cases are dealt with.