§ 43. Mr. Norwoodasked the Minister of Health what representations he has received about the shortage of medical staff at the Norfolk and Norwich Hospital; and whether he is aware of the strain imposed upon the staff and the difficulty of coping with patients and would-be patients thereby created.
§ The Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Health (Mr. Charles Loughlin)My Department is in close touch with the East Anglian Regional Hospital Board. An additional consultant anaesthetist and three additional house surgeons have been appointed. I understand that the board is considering making further additions to the medical staff, whose number is recognised as being inadequate.
§ Mr. NorwoodWill my hon. Friend agree that the present situation, with about 500 more patients on the waiting list, according to the figures at the end of August, than there were at this time last year, would fully support any representations which might be made to him either by the regional hospital board or by others for a further increase of staff, whose working conditions are generally accepted in the city to be intolerable?
§ Mr. LoughlinI assure my hon. Friend that we have this in mind, and we have been in touch with the regional hospital 611 board. We shall, of course, consider anything put to us by any regional hospital board.