HC Deb 06 July 1964 vol 698 c15
13. Mr. Montgomery

asked the Minister of Health what provision is being made for a regional centre in the Newcastle-upon-Tyne area, for the treatment of burns.

Mr. Braine

A burns unit of 40 beds is already in existence at the Hospital for Sick Children, Newcastle. Plastic surgery units which also deal with burns are in existence at the Newcastle General Hospital and the Royal Victoria Infirmary. Further provision will be made in the plans for the main Newcastle hospitals.

Mr. Montgomery

But is my hon. Friend aware that badly-burnt patients need to be cubicle-ised, and that there is at the moment only one burn cubicle available at the plastic unit at Newcastle? Can he say what other plans there are for units to deal with badly-burnt patients in the North?

Mr. Braine

It is not envisaged that there will be a single burns centre for each large region. The Standing Medical Advisory Committee recommendation was that certain accident centres which would normally be provided at most district general hospitals should be designated as burns centres. The answer to the second part of my hon. Friend's supplementary question is that the regional boards also plan to provide burns centres at Middlesbrough and Carlisle, and possibly at Sunderland.