§ 17. Mr. Hicksasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if she will define the rôle and functions of small cottage and general practitioner hospitals in the future development of the hospital service; if she will confirm that it is her intention progressively to reduce the number of these smaller hospitals; and if she will make a statement.
§ Mrs. CastleA memorandum of guidance has been issued to health authorities describing the rôle and function of a new type of local hospital called a community hospital, which is to provide care nearer their homes for patients who do not need the specialised services of a district general hospital. The medical staff in these hospitals will mainly be general practitioners. Most community hospitals will be provided by adapting existing local hospitals but some small hospitals will need to be closed as the service develops.
§ Mr. HicksWill the Secretary of State give an assurance to the House that before any decisions are made involving the closure of existing cottage hospitals, social considerations will be taken into account as well as purely economic criteria? Is the right hon. Lady aware that in rural areas, such as South-East Cornwall, the smaller hospitals fulfil an important function, and that their closure could mean that both patients and relatives will be a significant distance from hospitials?
§ Mrs. CastleI appreciate that much local affection builds up around some of the smaller local hospitals. I also accept that there is value in having smaller hospitals situated nearer to the homes of patients who do not need the care that can be provided by a district general 215 hospital. However, these matters have to be planned realistically within the resources available. It will be inevitable that some of the existing small hospitals will no be suitable for long-term use as community hospitals. I assure the hon. Gentleman that no decision to close a hospital will be taken until there has been consultation with the community health council, which will be able to press the social factors to which he has referred.
§ Dr. VaughanWill the right hon. Lady pay special regard to the effects on nurses of any changes in local hospitals? Will she tell the House how many nurses are likely to be unemployed as they come out of training schools in the near future, as a direct result of her policies?
§ Mrs. CastleCertainly no nurses will be unemployed as a result of our policies concerning community hospitals. As for the question of our wider policies, particularly our policy on pay beds, and our policy on nursing recruitment, the hon. Gentleman knows quite well that I covered those matters fully in my speech in the recent debate.