HL Deb 16 March 1967 vol 281 cc420-2

3.15 p.m.

LORD AMULREE

My Lords, I beg leave to ask the Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.

[The Question was as follows:

To ask Her Majesty's Government the numer of patients discharged from hospital in any given area who still need nursing care, either in their own homes or in any other institution.]

THE PARLIAMENTARY UNDER-SECRETARY OF STATE FOR COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS (LORD BESWICK)

My Lords, I regret that information is not available in the form requested by the noble Lord. I can, however, tell him that in England and Wales in 1965 domiciliary midwives visited in their homes 263,019 mothers discharged from hospital before the tenth day after delivery. In addition, health visitors visited 38,936 other patients discharged from hospitals other than psychiatric hospitals.

LORD AMULREE

My Lords, I thank the noble Lord for that reply. Could he tell me whether it would be possible for the Minister to start some such inquiry as I have in mind, to find out, not necessarily over the whole country, but in one of the areas, what these figures would be?

LORD BESWICK

My Lords, I am inclined to agree with the noble Lord that our knowledge of this aspect of the Health Service is inadequate. Some little time ago there were experiments in five areas with unlimited home nursing services, but the results were inconclusive. I understand that the Queen's Institute of District Nursing have asked my right honourable friend if a research project could be sponsored by him in relation to the co-ordination of hospital and district nursing services. This he is considering, and I will see that the noble Lord's view, which is of great value, is taken into account.

LORD AMULREE

My Lords, I thank the noble Lord for that helpful reply.

LORD ST. HELENS

My Lords, in view of the fact that the future care service is basically within the province of the hospital almoner, would it be reasonable if I put down a Question to the noble Lord asking that investigations should be made at selected hospitals to find how far the almoner can follow discharged persons?

LORD BESWICK

My Lords, I am sure that it would be reasonable for the noble Lord to put down a Question. Whether I shall he able to give him all the information that he wants, we shall have to see; but certainly I suggest that he puts down a Question.

BARONESS SUMMERSKILL

My Lords, may I ask my noble friend whether, the next time we have these figures, he can give them in terms of percentages?

LORD BESWICK

My Lords, the figures that I have given are 100 per cent. of what we know. These are the absolute figures in this particular field. But the point is that they cannot be related particularly to the terms of reference which the noble Lord suggested.

BARONESS SUMMERSKILL

My Lords, what I should like to know is what percentage of the number the noble Lord has given represents discharged patients who need this care; otherwise it does not convey much knowledge.

LORD BESWICK

My Lords, I am sorry. I now understand what my noble friend means. I think this is one aspect of the matter where our knowledge is in- adequate, and it is the sort of thing which I should have thought would come out if we carried out some further research into it.