HC Deb 06 February 1967 vol 740 cc1101-2
34. Mr. Luard

asked the Minister of Health when he expects an artificial kidney machine to be available for patients in the Oxford area.

Mr. K. Robinson

A pilot unit of two beds should be available by mid-March and a 10-bed centre by the following March.

Mr. Luard

Is my right hon. Friend aware that his Answer will give great satisfaction to many people in Oxford who have been hoping for the establishment of such a centre as this for some time? Can he give an assurance that if one of the difficulties in building centres of this kind is that of training the necessary assistants rather than finding the money, there will be a crash programme to get the necessary training done as quickly as possible all over the country?

Mr. Robinson

On these general issues, I hope that my hon. Friend will await a statement that I propose to make later this week.