§ Mr. Gwilym Robertsasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what study he has made of the evidence supplied to him by the hon. Member for Cannock that only one in three of people requiring kidney machines are currently able to obtain them; what steps he is taking to provide a more adequate supply 59W of these machines; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. MoyleI have considered the evidence my hon. Friend has supplied to me. As he will see from my reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Huddersfield, West (Mr. Lomas) on 26th October—[Vol. 936, c.725–61]—I would agree that health authorities are at present providing treatment by dialysis for less than half the patients who might benefit from it. I am, naturally, dissatisfied with this situation and am currently exploring means of improving the availability of treatment for patients with chronic renal failure. My Department has recently written to all regional health authorities urging that there should be a significant and early improvement in the availability of dialysis facilities for children. Funds are being made available, out of the small amount held centrally for special medical developments, to enable paediatric dialysis services to be expanded more quickly than would otherwise be possible.
I am writing to my hon. Friend.