HC Deb 19 December 1979 vol 976 cc600-2
2. Mr. Robert Hughes

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland when he expects next to meet chairmen of health boards in Scotland.

The Under-Secretary of State for Scotland (Mr. Russell Fairgrieve)

I met the chairmen of health boards in Scotland on 13 November. No arrangements have been made for a further meeting. The next regular meeting between chairmen and officers of my Department will take place on 11 March 1980.

Mr. Hughes

Will the hon. Gentleman have an urgent meeting with the chairman of the Grampian health board in order to investigate the report that the health board has had to stop open-heart surgery? Otherwise, many emergency patients will have to go to Glasgow or to London to have their operations. Is it not totally unfair that the board should bear the opprobrium of having to stop that kind of surgery, since that responsibility belongs to his Department? If anyone dies, it will be the hon. Gentleman's responsibility.

Mr. Fairgrieve

I am aware of that problem, and it has many ramifications. If the hon. Gentleman will let me have further details, I shall be delighted to give him a detailed reply.

Mr. Pollock

When my hon. Friend next meets the chairman of the Grampian health board, will he impress upon him the need to ensure that there is adequate provision at local level for maternity cases and for the mentally handicapped? The present policy of the board seems designed to concentrate such help in large centres of population.

Mr. Fairgrieve

As my hon. Friend knows, I was in Duff town last weekend to discuss this problem. In the light of those discussions I shall be considering the matter further.

Mr. Maxton

When the Minister met the chairmen of the health boards, did he discuss with them the mean and nasty little cuts that he has made in the ambulance services in Scotland, whereby out-patients at physiotherapy departments will not be carried if they can walk, walking-out patients will not be carried and limitations have been placed on hours of attendance? Does he agree that despite constant denials that there will be no cuts, there have been those cuts in the Health Service in Scotland?

Mr. Fairgrieve

I assure the hon. Gentleman that there have been no cuts in the ambulance service, and certainly no mean and nasty cuts. However, in the interests of public expenditure we have asked that where people can easily get to hospital without an ambulance—and their doctors say that they can get to hospital without an ambulance—they should do so.

Mr. McQuarrie

Is my hon. Friend aware that 17 part-time chairmen of health boards and two full-time members of the Scottish Health and Welfare Commission are costing approximately £69,000 per annum? Will he investigate that high cost with a view to reducing it and thus helping to reduce public expenditure?

Mr. Fairgrieve

Naturally, I wish to help to reduce public expenditure. However, if my hon. Friend takes the figure that he has mentioned and divides it by the number of people concerned he will see that we are getting a good service. I greatly value the work that these health board chairmen do. They are called part-time, but some of them work almost full-time.

Mr. Hughes

On a point of order, Mr. Speaker. In view of the appalling ignorance on the part of the Minister of what is happening in his constituency—

Mr. Speaker

Order. There is a formula that hon. Members use when giving notice of their intention to raise a matter on the Adjournment.