Health and Social Services Boards

HC Deb 11 July 1985 vol 82 cc1254-6

10. Mr. A. Cecil Walker

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, pursuant to the answer given to the hon. Member for Belfast, North by the Parliamentary Under-Secretary, the hon. Member for Bath (Mr. Patten) on 19 June, Official Report, column 146, if he will give the reasons for not placing the full accounts and auditors' reports for the health and social services boards in Northern Ireland in the Library.

Mr. Chris Patten

I have nothing to add to the answer I gave to the hon. Gentleman on 19 June, but if there is any particular matter about which he is concerned I shall have it followed up if he will let me have the appropriate details.

Mr. Walker

In view of the disquieting reports of the serious malpractices in the Royal Victoria hospital, especially in the laundering, quartering, transport, security and catering divisions, does the hon. Gentleman agree that by not taking action to publish the health and social services reports he will arouse suspicion that there is a cover-up in his Department?

Mr. Patten

There is no question of any concealment. We follow exactly the same practices as the rest of the United Kingdom. The auditors' report on each of the health boards is made available to the Comptroller and Auditor-General, and he reports to Parliament on the summary of accounts.

Mr. Archer

Does the Under-Secretary of State have any plans for dealing with the crisis which now obtains at the Royal Victoria hospital through staff cuts and especially in relation to medical reports—which cannot be traced because they are lying about on the floor—and security, which is so starved of resources that the staff are physically in danger.

Mr. Patten

If the right hon. and learned Gentleman had had the courtesy when he visited the Royal group of hospitals the other day to agree to meet the chairman of the board as well as the NUPE shop stewards, he would have heard that the Royal Victoria hospital has a budget of £84 million a year, that it is one of the most expensive hospital sites in the country and that we are doing a good deal to try deal with the records. For example, the board has appointed summer relief staff. Unfortunately so far, the organisation and methods study into medical records, which could bring about a great improvement, has been blocked by the trade unions.

11. Rev. Martin Smyth

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what steps he proposes to take following the report of the Comptroller and Auditor-General for Northern Ireland on the health and social services board accounts, about financial procedures in the north and west Belfast districts of the eastern board.

Mr. Chris Patten

The north and west Belfast district is now reorganised into three units of management, new senior staff are in post and new systems are being introduced. The board is providing regular progress reports on these matters to the Department. I note in the Comptroller and Auditor-General's report for 1983–84 that he accepts that a determined effort has been and continues to be made to improve the position.

Rev. Martin Smyth

I thank the hon. Gentleman for the information that those steps have been taken. Is he satisfied that such steps will deal with the misuse of overtime and other abuses at the hospital? Will this release more funds for patient care? May we assume that the clique of Republicans, who have been using the system in the royal to deny this money to the patients, will continue?

Mr. Patten

Those are the objectives of the management which is attempting to ensure that the Royal Victoria, like every other hospital in the United Kingdom, lives within its budget.

Mr. Archer

Is it in order for the Under-Secretary of State to mislead the House by suggesting that I discourteously refused to see the chairman of the eastern health board, when the contrary is true? I was anxious to see the chairman, but, understandably, he was not in a position to see me. I tried to see him.

Mr. Patten

If what the right hon. and learned Gentleman says is correct, I shall certainly withdraw what I said. I understood that the chairman of the board had turned up at the hospital to meet the right hon. Gentleman, but that the right hon. and earned Gentleman had failed to meet him.

Mr. Archer

rose—

Mr. Speaker

Order. The same rules must apply to everyone.