HC Deb 13 March 1967 vol 743 cc25-8
20. Sir C. Black

asked the Minister of Health what is the cost per day to the South-West Metropolitan Regional Hospital Board of the beds paid for by the Board in St. Teresa's Maternity Hospital, Wimbledon.

Mr. K. Robinson

£4 12s. 11 d. per bed in 1965–66.

Sir C. Black

How does that figure compare with the average for maternity beds under the National Health Service?

Mr. Robinson

I can tell the hon. Gentleman how it compares with the average in that part of London covered by the South-West Metropolitan Region. The comparison should be per case and not per week, and the comparison is £57 4s. 8d. at St. Teresa's compared with £49 8s. 10d. in cases in the South-West Metropolitan hospitals providing full medical and surgical services.

Mr. Boyd-Carpenter

Are these figures based on a stay of equal duration? In view of the fact that this hospital is acknowledged to render very good service, will the hon. Gentleman not reconsider his decision to withdraw National Health Service support?

Mr. Robinson

No, Sir. The average length of stay at St. Teresa's is 12 days, compared with nine days in the other hospitals—[HON. MEMBERS: "Ah."] As to the merits of the case, I should prefer to deal with those when we reach a later Question on this matter.

Mr. Braine

Is the right hon. Gentleman satisfied that there is adequate maternity provision in this part of south-west London?

Mr. Robinson

I should prefer to deal with that also on the later Question.

21. Sir C. Black

asked the Minister of Health what is the estimated cost per day to the National Health Service of the new maternity beds at Roehampton which it is proposed to bring into service in place of the maternity beds at St. Teresa's, Wimbledon, which are at present paid for by the South-West Metropolitan Regional Hospital Board.

Mr. K. Robinson

About £6 per bed.

Sir C. Black

Why is it sensible to give up beds which are admitted by the regional hospital board to be perfectly satisfactory and which cost the National Exchequer much less and to replace them with beds which, in the light of the information which the right hon. Gentleman has just given, will cost the Treasury much more than the present beds?

Mr. Robinson

I have already explained to the hon. Gentleman that the cost per case, which is the relevant statistic, will be less.

Mr. Boyd-Carpenter

On which of these Questions will the right hon. Gentleman answer on the merits of the case?

Mr. Robinson

On Question No. 25, to the hon. Member for Richmond, Surrey (Mr. Royle):

25. Mr. A. Royle

asked the Minister of Health if he will instruct the South-West Metropolitan Regional Hospital Board to continue paying for beds at St. Teresa's Hospital, Wimbledon.

Mr. K. Robinson

No, Sir. I agree with the regional hospital board's decision to terminate its contractual arrangements for maternity beds with St. Teresa's at the end of 1967, when the new maternity unit in Queen Mary's Hospital, Roehampton, is planned to open. The board has offered to contract with St. Teresa's for beds for other purposes, and I hope that the hospital will accept this offer.

Mr. Royle

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that that reply is most unsatisfactory, as, indeed, have been his last replies to my hon. Friends? Is he aware that there is great local concern about this decision—a decision which not only appears to be unnecessary but which, in view of the replies which he has just given, seems utterly extravagant? Will he ask the regional hospital board to look at the whole position again?

Mr. Robinson

If the hon. Gentleman has cost in mind, then nothing would be more extravagant or, in my view, unreasonable than for the National Health Service to continue to spend something like £70,000 a year subsidising maternity beds in a private hospital for which there is no longer a National Health Service need.

Mr. Hugh Jenkins

Is my right hon. Friend aware that, in spite of what he just said, there is very considerable local feeling in favour of this hospital and that many women who have attended this hospital have commented favourably on the service they have received? Will he not at least consider the possibility of putting off his decision for a year?

Mr. Robinson

No, Sir. I know that this hospital has provided good service to the regional board, but the fact is that there will no longer be any need for the contractual use of these beds after the end of this year. It has been the policy of successive Ministers—and it is my policy—that maternity units should, wherever possible, form an integral part of a district general hospital. This is in the interests of the safety of mothers and babies.

Mr. Braine

Would the right hon. Gentleman spell this out and say categorically that he is completely satisfied that at the end of this year there will be adequate maternity provision in this area of south-west London?

Mr. Robinson

Yes, Sir. I am completely satisfied about that. Already the confinement rate in this area is 80 per cent., which is considerably higher than the Cranbrook-recommended figure of 70 per cent. In addition to the Roehampton beds, there will be 10 further beds at Queen Charlotte's Hospital allocated to this area for mothers from Richmond, and 12 beds will also be provided at the Kingston Hospital.

Sir C. Black

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that only a few months ago the St. Helier Hospital sent a notice to doctors in the area informing them that certain categories of maternity cases could not be guaranteed places in the hospitals in the area, which does not indicate that there is any sufficiency of beds or that there will be such a sufficiency in the area? Is he also aware that it must be a very long time indeed since such indignation has been raised in the district over this matter and that, for example, about 2,000 people on a recent Sunday afternoon attended a meeting in a local hall—

Mr. Speaker

Order. With the best will in the world, we cannot have too long a supplementary question.

Mr. Robinson

I do not accept what was said last year as being a guide to what will happen when the new unit at Roehampton, which is a teaching, professorial unit—designed to teach doctors as well as midwives and nurses—is open. I am aware that there is considerable local feeling about this matter, but there is nearly always local feeling when any hospital unit is closed down. This one is not being closed down; there is merely being a termination of the contractual arrangements.

Mr. Royle

In view of the unsatisfactory nature of the Minister's reply, I beg to give notice that I will raise the matter on the Adjournment as soon as possible.

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