§ 20. Mr. Hoosonasked the Secretary of State for Wales what steps have been taken to build up the consultancy services available from the district hospital at Aberystwyth.
§ Mr. Gibson-WattThe Welsh Hospital Board proposes to add to the already substantial range of consultancy services provided at Aberystwyth by appointing an additional consultant in anaesthetics there and an additional consultant in paediatrics at Carmarthen who will provide specialist advice at Aberystwyth.
§ Mr. HoosonI welcome the reply, but is the Minister of State not aware that in both medical and lay circles there is great concern at the relative paucity of consultancy services available at Aberystwyth District Hospital and that a consultant at Carmarthen is no answer to the problems of mid-Wales, because Aberystwyth serves not only Dyfed but also the proposed new county of Powys? Therefore, since the services available in the area are not those of a fully equipped district hospital, there is great concern about this matter.
§ Mr. Gibson-WattI know of the concern about this matter, but I must point out that at Bronglais there are consultancy services in general medicine, general surgery, pathology, anaesthetics, geriatrics, obstetrics and gynaecology, radiology, ophthalmology, traumatic and orthopaedic services. These services surely cannot be written down as being totally inadequate. With regard to the paediatric side and the extra consultant at Carmarthen, such a matter is based upon professional medical advice.