Mr. ROBINSONasked the Minister of Pensions whether he has received any complaints submitted by the ward delegates of the patients in the Ministry of Pensions hospital at Maghull to the medical superintendent; and whether formal complaints by patients in Ministry of Pensions institutions are forwarded for consideration by the Director-General of Medical Services and himself?
§ Major TRYONComplaints would in the ordinary course be dealt with by the medical superintendent of the institution and would, if necessary, be forwarded to the headquarters of the Ministry for consideration. Recent complaints at Maghull, I am glad to say, have been rare and of a minor nature.
§ Mr. RHYS DAVIESasked the Minister of Pensions whether he has received any complaints about the quality, quantity, and cooking of the food supplied to patients at the Ministry of Pensions hospital, Maghull; whether he is aware that the patients are given margarine instead of butter for breakfast and tea; 1653W and that no medical officer makes the rounds at meal times to ask if there be any complaints?
§ Major TRYONComplaints made to the medical superintendents of Ministry hospitals are dealt with by them, if of a minor character, or referred to Ministry headquarters. My inquiries show that recent complaints at Maghull have been rare and of a minor nature. With regard to the second part of the question, the medical officer in charge of a case is authorised to prescribe the supply of butter if he considers it necessary on medical grounds. With regard to the last part of the question, it would be the duty of the sister in charge of the meals in each of the villas in this institution to receive any complaints and to bring them to notice. I may add that the orderly medical officer on his daily round always inspects the dinner, usually the tea and sometimes the breakfast.