§ 46. Mr. Arthur Lewisasked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he has now received the communication dated 19th April from the hon. Member for West Ham, North, together with enclosures, concerning the case of the late Mr. Hugh McKinnon who died from frostbite as a result of being refused early admission into hospital; whether he will investigate this matter; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. CrossmanYes, Sir. I am looking into this case and will write to my hon. Friend when my investigations are complete.
§ Mr. LewisI thank my right hon. Friend for that reply, but will he also look into the alleged fact that this man tried to get into several hospitals and several hospitals said there was not room? Will he see to it that, if there are urgent cases such as this, some hospital is instructed to take in people who are likely to die or who need serious treatment, as in this case?
§ Mr. CrossmanI am grateful to my hon. Friend for bringing this distressing case to my attention. It was not thought at first that it was an acute case, and efforts were made to have Mr. McKinnon admitted into a geriatric hospital. It took several days, by the way, for the general practitioner to get into the man's home at all. I should not like to go further now. I wish to give my hon. Friend a full and accurate report on this distressing and disturbing case.