§ 52. Mr. Dudley Smithasked the Minister of Health how many reports he has received from hospital governing bodies, management committees or individual expert sources, to the effect that operating theatres in particular hospitals are unsafe or dangerous for surgery.
§ Mr. K. RobinsonDangerous conditions are dealt with by Hospital Authorities as soon as they are identified, and formal reports would not be made to me unless advice or help is needed. Seven such reports have been made over the past year or so and steps have been taken to close, reconstruct or otherwise render safe the theatres involved.
§ Mr. Dudley SmithIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that there has been a great deal of public disquiet recently about reports that some operating theatres are unsafe? Does not he feel that this matter should be given first priority by the Ministry in the reorganisation of hospitals?
§ Mr. RobinsonA great deal is being done to modernise and, indeed, to renew operating theatres. I hope that the hon. Gentleman will not suggest that, in all circumstances, where operating theatres are out of date, the conditions for patients in them are dangerous. That is not the case. As I said in the House on another occasion, 400 new theatres have been built since the National Health Service started and over 100 are under construction. I regard this matter as one of 1200 priority, and we are pressing ahead as fast as resources permit.
§ Mr. WoodHow many complaints were made in the five years before the right hon. Gentleman took office?
§ Mr. RobinsonI cannot answer without notice.
§ Mr. LiptonIs it not the case that many of these operating theatres now described as unsafe are not really as unsafe as all that? Is it not a fact that all they require in such cases is some extra care taken over sterilisation procedures?
§ Mr. RobinsonA great deal of extra care has to be taken in out-of-date operating theatres by medical and nursing staff. The fact that they do take such great care is shown by the very high safety record which our operating theatres generally enjoy.
§ Mr. FisherWill the right hon. Gentleman undertake to make unsafe buildings as safe as possible for patients and as tolerable as possible for surgeons without waiting for complete rebuilding schemes which might not take place for many years? Will he replace individual sterilisation by theatre supply units as is done in America?
§ Mr. RobinsonYes. We want very urgently to get rid of the boiler or steam kettle type of sterilisation. The hospital authorities were advised over two years ago that the sooner they got rid of this sort of sterilisation the better, since we know that it is not completely effective.
§ Mr. PavittIs my right hon. Friend aware that, even when the hospital theatre is completely rebuilt under the advice of the consultants present, mistakes can still happen? Will he make sure that the best advice is given by the hospital building unit in cases of rebuilding going on at present?
§ Mr. RobinsonA circular is in draft and will shortly be sent to hospital authorities concerning the whole question of operating theatre procedure with special relation to safety factors. I hope that this will help the hospital authorities in planning new theatres.