§ Mr. Freudasked the Secretary of State for Social Services, how many beds in Doddington Hospital are now kept for geriatrics; and what were the relevant figures in each of the last four years.
§ Dr. OwenGeriatric beds will be available for the first time at Doddington Hospital when 17 beds are opened at the end of April 1976 following completion of adaptations to wards, now being carried out.
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§ Mr. Freudasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what are now the prospects for Doddington Hospital; and if she will make a statement.
§ Dr. OwenThe area health authority considered a report on Doddington Hospital at its last meeting on 9th March. It reaffirmed its intention to implement the proposals for provision of services at Doddington agreed by my right hon. Friend after it had carried out extensive local consultations. It has been able to overcome some of the problems which have in recent months caused drastic reductions in the numbers of patients treated there, and the prospect is that there will be a substantial improvement in the service to the local community following the appointment of an anaesthetist and the completion of the works of adaptation now being carried out, and planned for urgent execution. These works include the availability of 17 geriatric beds and the provision of an anaesthetic recovery room. It will, of course, always be necessary for some patients to be treated at the district general hospital in Peterborough with its full range of facilities.
§ Mr. Freudasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what was the average number of hours per week that the casualty ward in Doddington Hospital was manned in the years 1975, 1974, 1973 and 1972; and what has been the average number of hours over the first 10 weeks of this year.
§ Dr. OwenIn previous years the accident and emergency department at Doddington Hospital was open 24 hours a day throughout the week except for occasional periods due to holidays and other absences of staff. Following full consultation locally and with the approval of my right hon. Friend the area health300W authority has now restricted the service to the hours of 0900 to 1700 on weekdays. Outside these hours the few cases which arise are referred to Peterborough where a full service is maintained.
§ Mr. Freudasked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many major operations were performed at Doddington Hospital during the first 10 weeks of 1976; and how these figures compare with the first 10 weeks in 1975, 1974 and 1973.
§ Dr. OwenOperations under general anaesthetic carried out at Doddington Hospital in the first 10 weeks of the relevant years are as follows:
1973 … … … 94 1974 … … … 55 1975 … … … 68 1976 … … … 3 Surgery is at present being carried out at Peterborough, but the area health authority has agreed to the provision of six operating sessions a week at Doddington in the near future, and as a matter of urgency is planning to provide an anaesthetic recovery room.
§ Mr. Freudasked the Secretary of State for Social Services for how many hours Doddington Hospital had the services of an anaesthetist during the first 10 weeks of 1976; and how this compares with similar periods in the previous three years.
§ Dr. OwenDuring the previous three years a full-time anaesthetist was in post. The position is now vacant, and so far this year only one anaesthetist session has been provided at Doddington Hospital. I am glad to hear that, despite the national shortage of anaesthetists, the AHA has succeeeded in making an appointment which will in the near future provide anaesthetist cover for six surgical lists each week.