§ 29. Mr. O'Halloranasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he can now make a detailed statement on his plans to increase the number of beds at the Royal Northern Hospital, Holloway, N.19.
§ Mr. AlisonThe North-West Metropolitan Regional Hospital Board proposes to convert accommodation no longer required for radiotherapy to provide 18 additional beds for surgical cases. The work will start as soon as possible and should be completed in about six months.
§ Mr. O'HalloranDoes the hon. Gentleman appreciate that there are more than 1,000 people on the list of the Royal Northern Hospital waiting for operations to be carried out? Some have been waiting for as long as three years. His answer will be cold comfort to those people in Islington waiting for operations to be carried out.
§ Mr. AlisonThe regional board is under no illusion about the pressure on beds, and it is willing to consider any proposals for bed availability which the management committee may submit.