HC Deb 18 January 1988 vol 125 cc661-3
7. Mr. Alan W. Williams

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will give the most recent annual number of babies or young children diagnosed as suffering from congenital heart defects or heart disease (a) in East Dyfed and (b) in Wales.

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Wales (Mr. Ian Grist)

The most recent information available in relation to the notification of congenital malformation indicates that, in 1986, five children in East Dyfed and 57 children in Wales were notified as having been born with heart or circulatory system malformation.

Mr. Williams

I find those figures quite incredible. I am sure that the true figures are far higher. The Minister is aware that there are no facilities in Wales to treat children with congenital heart defects and that, whenever they require surgery, they are flown to Bristol, Southampton, or London. Since 1981 the Government have accepted that a paediatric cardiology unit should be set up in Cardiff al the Heath hospital. However, year after year, we have had only promises that it will be set up. May we have an assurance that that unit will be set up during 1988?

Mr. Speaker

Briefly, please.

Mr. Williams

During the Christmas recess I met the parents of Stefan Jones from Napier, who, at eight months, was diagnosed as having a hole in the heart. Now, at five years of age—

Mr. Speaker

Briefly, please.

Mr. Williams

What does the Secretary of State have to say to Stefan Jones?

Mr. Grist

There is no doubt that babies and their parents in such circumstances are in a most distressing position. It is also fair to observe that the operations about which we are talking are, on the whole, extremely expensive, extremely skilled and relatively new, so I could not honestly accuse Labour of not having provided these facilities. I hope, however, that the hon. Gentleman accepts that we are doing our best to bring such facilities to Cardiff. The Royal College of Physicians is to carry out a suvey of cardiac facilities in south Wales, and the South Glamorgan health authority is advertising for a consultant in this area.

As for those aged under one, on the advice of the royal colleges they will still go to Bristol, but, after the establishment of the cardiac centre in Cardiff, that could be reviewed.

Mrs. Clwyd

Does the Minister agree that it is lack of quality nursing care that results in delays in operations for hole-in-the-heart patients such as my constituent, Mrs. Keenan, who wrote to me this week saying that twice she had been prepared for surgery at the University hospital of Wales, Cardiff and twice she had been told that the operation was off because of a lack of nursing staff and beds? Do the Government realise what anxiety and stress this causes already very sick patients? Surely there is no sense in the Government's reducing spending on nurses' training, as they have in each year since 1979.

Mr. Grist

I am sure the hon. Lady will also accept that the number of nurses in Wales has increased under this Government by about 3,000. She might, therefore, see the sense of trying to re-order the pay structure so that people are prepared to take on the special skills required in areas such as those about which she has spoken.

Mr. Roy Hughes

Does the Minister appreciate that people expect something more than crocodile tears from him? There is now serious concern about the lack of urgency associated with providing these badly needed facilities for young children. Can he imagine the expense and inconvenience of taking a young child to Southampton or to London? When will we have such facilities in Wales? Is this not yet another example of underfunding the NHS?

Mr. Grist

Not at all. I think that the hon. Gentleman does a disservice to the medical profession that provides such skills. As I said in my answer, 57 children fell into this category at the last count in South Wales. That is a small but desperately important number, which helps to explain some of the problems that are faced.