Elsie Inglis Maternity Hospital (Hansard, 20 June 1984)

§ 5. Mr. Strang
asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether the labour ward of the Elsie Inglis maternity hospital has been fully reopened on a permanent basis.

§ Mr. John MacKay
I understand that Lothian health board has reopened the ward, but only at present for mothers judged to have a very low risk of complications. Safe resumption of the range of deliveries previously Undertaken requires more medical cover. The board is already seeking to appoint registrars to Elsie Inglis and has instructed that rotation of doctors with other hospitals should be introduced.

§ Mr. Strang
That is a helpful reply as far as it goes, and we obviously welcome the steps recently taken by Lothian health board. However, does the Minister accept that tremendous support was shown for the staff and the hospital generally? Although there is still a suggestion that the hospital may not reopen on a permanent basis, will the Minister encourage the health board to ensure that it has a permanent future?

§ Mr. MacKay
The hon. Gentleman should remember that the Royal College of Obstreticians and Gynaecologists withdrew training recognition from Elsie Inglis hospital because it was not conducting the range of cases which the college felt was necessary for training. Of the four maternity hospitals in Edinburgh, three are running at 50 per cent. capacity and under and the fourth is running at just over 50 per cent. We cannot continue to spend money on facilities that are not fully used when so many other matters in the Health Service require our attention.

Mr. Ron Brown
Is the Minister aware that what we need in Edinburgh and the rest of Scotland is adequate funding? It is imperative that the Elsie Inglis is supported, because it is clearly an important local hospital. Will the Minister consider this matter and come forward with plans to support the hospital that are credible to the local community?

§ Mr. MacKay
The standard of care in all four maternity hospitals in Edinburgh is of the highest, and I reiterate the point, which the hon. Gentleman does not seem to have heard, that all four hospitals are running at roughly half capacity and under, simply because, for a variety of reasons, not enough mothers are having babies—[Laughter.]—and that trend will continue. We must consider realistically and seriously, despite the levity from the Opposition, how to use resources in the Lothian health board district.