§ 32. Mr. K. Robinsonasked the Minister of Health why he is not prepared to extend the scope of the domiciliary services to cover the provision of constant attendance for poliomyelitis victims dependent upon an iron lung and living at home.
§ Mr. PowellThe duty of providing constant attendance where this is required is most efficiently and economically performed through the hospital service.
§ Mr. RobinsonIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that unfortunately it cannot be provided by hospitals, and does he not agree that this would be quite apart from the benefit in human terms to the patient, and probably a much more economical way of looking after these victims than keeping them in hospital? Will he consider whether something can be done about this either through the hospital authorities or through the local health authorities?
§ Mr. PowellThis is a matter that I have looked at very carefully, but I must say that I cannot agree that for local health authorities to seek to provide constant skilled nursing attention could he an effective use of the resources which they deploy.