HC Deb 13 January 1987 vol 108 cc135-6
8. Mr. Janner

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many cases have occurred in the last 12 months for which figures are available of patients in acute pain being refused admittance to National Health Service hospitals.

Mr. Newton

It is for the responsible doctor to decide whether, in his clinical judgment, a patient needs to be admitted to hospital. Statistics are not kept on patients who, in the doctor's clinical judgment, do not require admission, but 50 per cent. of patients judged to need admission are admitted immediately.

Mr. Janner

Does the Minister not understand that that is a pathetic failure to answer a perfectly reasonable question? Is it not right to say that there are hundreds of thousands of people who are awaiting treatment in our hospitals—8,000 of whom in Leicestershire are awaiting in-patient treatment and 15,000 awaiting out-patient treatment—and that the Government are proposing to allocate only £50 million, spread over two years, to meet this need? That is an election gimmick. What do the Government intend to do to provide adequate hospital treatment for people who are in acute need?

Mr. Newton

If the hon. and learned Gentleman looks at my answer, he will see that it was a perfectly sensible answer to his rather obscure question. On his basic point, the £50 million waiting list fund—from which I hope it will be possible to provide some help to the Leicestershire district health authority, but that will depend on our discussions with the region—will be in support of the effective efforts that authorities are already making; for example, their plans to bring additional theatres into use.

Mr. Beaumont-Dark

Does my hon. Friend agree that there are many people who suffer acute pain for many years, whether it be from varicose veins or other problems, who would be better served if money were spent on helping them instead of it being spent on much of the transplant surgery of today, in which surgeons are more inclined to be concerned with their own reputations and macho image? Would it not be better for that money to be spent helping those who are in pain rather than just upon transplant surgery? Should there not be a separate budget instead of money often being wasted on improving surgeons' reputations?

Mr. Newton

One of the difficulties that faces all Health Ministers is that of drawing a balance in all health authorities between the different considerations to which my hon. Friend has referred.

Dr. Marek

Does the Minister agree that doctors are there to treat patients; in particular, patients who are in acute pain? Will he stop the practice whereby doctors spend a considerable proportion of their time, not on treating the sick, but on telephoning other National Health Service hospitals to find out whether they can admit their patients?

Mr. Newton

I have already said that we regard it as important to reduce waiting lists and times. I believe that there are both administrative and other actions that can help towards that end, which we are trying to encourage.