§ 31. Miss Quennellasked the Secretary of State for Social Services why he will not allow group hospital management 1033 committees to provide such accident and emergency facilities within their hospitals as appear necessary to them, in view of their local knowledge and experience.
§ Mr. EnnalsBecause these services need to be planned and organised on a regional basis to make the best use of resources in the interests of patients.
§ Miss QuennellDoes that reply mean that hospital committees of group hospitals do not have the right and power to provide facilities in the towns where hospitals already exist, fully equipped, and where casualty and emergency services are already run on a part-time basis?
§ Mr. EnnalsThese are matters that are discussed between the hospital management committee and the regional hospital board, but it is the regional hospital board that has to do the planning for the whole region. There are difficulties. While it may be possible in a particular locality to provide these services, let us say, for 12 hours during the day, to do it on a 24-hour basis may be very wasteful of urgently needed personnel.