THE ELIZABETH GARRETT ANDERSON HOSPITAL (Hansard, 12 June 1979)

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

§ Lord CULLEN of ASHBOURNE
My Lords, since announcing his plans for the future of the hospital, my right honourable friend the Secretary of State for Social Services has asked the North East Thames Regional Health Authority to establish a project team jointly with the Area Health Authority, the Elizabeth Garrett Anderson Hospital and those concerned at University College Hospital, to prepare proposals for the development of the hospital. The Regional Health Authority has already initiated discussions with all interested parties. In addition, my honourable friend the Minister of State for Health has had informal discussions with representatives of the Action Committee on the question of raising funds from voluntary sources.

§ Lord BROCKWAY
My Lords, in thanking the Minister for that reply, and congratulating him upon his appointment, may I ask whether, while individuals have met, it is not desirable that there should be a meeting with the highly representative Action Committee, which includes all the doctors, all the staff, the six trade unions involved and the South Camden Community Health Authority? Is not further 534 discussion desirable in view of the fact that the beds are to be limited to 40 in number and are to be restricted to surgical purposes only, when very often women have disorders which are medical?

§ Lord CULLEN of ASHBOURNE
My Lords, many discussions have taken place already with the doctors, the staff of the EGA, and the Action Committee.

§ Lord WELLS-PESTELL
My Lords, may I ask the noble Lord the Minister what was the over-riding factor which caused his right honourable friend to keep the hospital open, bearing in mind that this matter had already been gone into very carefully and two former Secretaries of State, the Regional Health Authority, and the Area Health Authority decided that it should be closed in view of the fact that there are already far too many beds in that area? Now the hospital is to be maintained at a cost of £2 million initial outlay, with a yearly expenditure of £1 million in an area where there is a shortage of money, and I question whether this is the right thing to do.

§ Lord CULLEN of ASHBOURNE
My Lords, as I said, the decision was the result of long discussions with the authorities concerned. The noble Lord knows a very great deal about this subject, as the House has heard many times in the past, and he will be aware that the Government intend to make an arrangement whereby the £2 million approximate cost will be shared between the Government and voluntary bodies, and discussions are now taking place on how this should be done.

§ Lord WELLS-PESTELL
My Lords,will the Minister be good enough to ask his right honourable friend the Secretary of State to ensure that in future the maintenance costs of the hospital (which I understand will be about £1 million) will be found over and above what is allowed and allocated for the area as a whole?

§ Lord CULLEN of ASHBOURNE
My Lords, I think I shall have to write a letter to the noble Lord: I cannot find the relevant information in my brief.

§ Baroness BROOKE of YSTRADFELLTE
My Lords, is the Minister aware that those of us who have the well-being of the hospital at heart, who 535 know that it is of a peculiar and very special variety and who know also about the patients with whom it deals and the service that it offers, are utterly delighted with the decision that has been taken to prolong its life?

§ Lord CULLEN of ASHBOURNE
My Lords, I am grateful to the noble Baroness.

§ Lord SOMERS
My Lords, will the noble Lord agree that one of the overriding reasons for keeping the hospital open is the fact that it is a women's hospital and that many women prefer to be examined and treated by other women?

§ Lord CULLEN of ASHBOURNE
My Lords, that is absolutely so, and in many cases on religious grounds, too.

§ Lord BROCKWAY
My Lords, while on this rare occasion welcoming the attitude of the Government rather than that of my own Front Bench, may I ask the noble Lord this question: Is it the intention to keep the hospital closed for three years? Meanwhile, will the doctors at the University College Hospital, where wards are being opened for them, be women doctors treating women if they so desire? Will the voluntary fund which is to be used be under the surveillance of the staff, so that they can be sure that it will be used for need rather than money?

§ Lord CULLEN of ASHBOURNE
My Lords, I think it is a little early to ask these questions, because the decision has only just been reached. The project team, which will be going into all the details, has now been established.

§ Lord BOWDEN
My Lords, may I, too, welcome this decision taken by the Government and remark that it has been very much welcomed by an enormous number of women?
Several noble Lords: No!

§ Lord BOWDEN
Is the Minister aware of the fact that almost every women's organisation, from the Women's Institute to the Inner Wheel—I could enumerate them, but I will not—have all earnestly besought the Government to keep the hospital in being so as to provide opportunities for women to be treated by 536 women; and that the original document under the Act of 1946 prescribes specifically that women should practise both surgery and medicine for women? So may I beg the Minister to keep this in mind and hope very much that he is aware of the importance that a very large number of women's organisations attach to the maintenance of this small but very important hospital?

§ Lord CULLEN of ASHBOURNE
My Lords, I am fully aware of that, and so is the Secretary of State.