§ 9. Mr. Gardnerasked the Minister of Health what is the ratio between the number of doctors, nurses and hospital beds 6 available and total population in the Sheffield Region; and how this ratio compares with that in other regions.
§ Mr. GardnerIs it not true that our region is relatively poorly provided for? Is not this a sad reflection on the previous Administration? Will my hon. Friend ensure that in future this region receives both capital and continuing financial payments to enable the Health Service to be really effective?
§ Mr. SnowMy hon. Friend is right. This is an inheritance with which we have had to deal. The deficiency of hospital beds and other facilities in many parts of the region was one of the principal factors taken into account in preparing the hospital building programme for the region. This programme is now well under way, and no doubt my hon. Friend knows of the new district general hospitals being built at Doncaster, Boston and Barnsley.
§ Following is the information:
| NATIONAL HEALTH SERVICE HOSPITAL MEDICAL STAFF, NURSES AND BEDS PER 10,000 POPULATION ENGLAND AND WALES✶ | |||
| Region | Mdical Staff | Nursing Staff | Beds |
| All regions England and Wales | 4.4 | 46.5 | 96.6 |
| Newcastle | 4.2 | 44.8 | 92.2 |
| Leeds | 3.9 | 47.0 | 105.2 |
| Sheffield | 3.2 | 36.8 | 76.4 |
| East Anglian | 3.4 | 37.0 | 84.1 |
| Metropolitan regions | 5.7 | 52.5 | 106.9 |
| Oxford | 4.3 | 43.4 | 83.2 |
| Southwestern | 3.8 | 50.1 | 108.1 |
| Wales | 4.3 | 50.0 | 100.0 |
| Birmingham | 3.6 | 38.5 | 86.2 |
| Manchester | 3.9 | 44.7 | 90.7 |
| Liverpool | 4.8 | 54.8 | 106.6 |
| Wessex | 3.5 | 43.1 | 90.5 |
| ✶ Estimated home population at 30th June, 1967. Medical and nursing staff in whole-time equivalents at 30th September, 1967. Beds at 31st December, 1967. |