§ 29. Mr. John Pageasked the Minister of Health whether he will consider revising the present pattern of hospital provision so that hospitals are graded according to the degree of care provided, so that patients are sent to the hospital best suited to their medical needs.
§ Mr. SnowThe level and type of facilities provided at existing hospitals are well known to doctors and I have no reason to believe that formal grading of hospitals would enable patients to be treated at hospitals better suited to their medical needs.
§ Mr. PageMany members of the medical profession will be very disap 222 pointed with that Answer. Is the hon. Gentleman aware that there is a great consciousness in the medical world that there are a few cases which are being kept waiting because other patients who only need general nursing care are using beds in hospitals which would be more suitable to deal with the first type of case?
§ Mr. SnowTransfers of patients between hospitals are an established feature of the hospital service; for example, if diagnosis shows that treatment is better given at a specialist centre. But the whole concept of the district general hospital is to provide a comprehensive service with adequate consultant cover.
§ Mr. Maurice MacmillanThe hon. Gentleman refers to the district general hospitals. Will he bear in mind the need for low-dependency care as well as for high-dependency care and, particularly, the point that beds should not be occupied by patients whose sole reason for being in hospital is to undergo diagnostic tests and who could well be accommodated in, say, a hostel?
§ Mr. SnowI think that the hon. Gentleman's supplementary question pinpoints the difficulty. Diagnostic tests are not always a simple matter and may need sophisticated equipment which is not readily available other than in hospitals such as district general hospitals.