§ Mr. Croninasked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) what action he is taking to reduce the incidence of chronic ulcer of the skin in hospital in-patients;
(2) what action he is taking to reduce the incidence of chronic ulcer of the skin in patients suffering from multiple sclerosis admitted to hospital;
(3) what is his estimate of the total number of patients admitted to hospitals during each of the years from 1967 to 1976 inclusive and of the total number of these patients who in each of these years developed chronic ulcer of the skin during their period of admission;
550W(4) what was the total number of patients suffering from multiple sclerosis admitted to hospital during each of the years from 1967 to 1976 inclusive; and if he has any estimate of the total number of such patients who in each of these years developed chronic ulcer of the skin during their period of admission;
(5) if he will give yearly figures over any recent convenient 10-year period indicating the incidence of chronic ulcer of the skin in patients admitted to hospitals controlled by the Trent Regional Health Authority;
(6) if he will give yearly figures over any recent convenient 10-year period indicating the incidence of chronic ulcer of the skin in patients suffering from multiple sclerosis admitted to hospitals controlled by the Trent Regional Health Authority.
§ Mr. MoyleFigures for multiple sclerosis and chronic ulcer of the skin respectively in hospital in-patients—estimated numbers of deaths and discharges—for the 10 years from 1965–74, the latest year for which figures are available, are as follows:
MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS England and Wales Trent Regional Health Authority (Sheffield Regional Hospital Board before 1974) 1965 6,220 510 1966 6,670 480 1967 6,820 610 1968 5,670 450 1969 6,400 560 1970 5,770 390 1971 6,360 460 1972 6,650 700 1973 6,490 570 1974 6,420 390 551W
CHRONIC ULCER OF THE SKIN England and Wales Trent Regional Health Authority (Sheffield Regional Hospital Board before 1974) 1965 4,290 Not available 1966 5,220 Not available 1967 6,080 480 1968 5,820 440 1969 5,990 430 1970 5,890 450 1971 6,270 510 1972 5,870 570 1973 5,960 540 1974 5,860 420 As the statistics record only the principal diagnosis it is not possible to give figures for chronic ulcer of the skin where these are secondary to the main condition. Information is not available about the number of patients who developed chronic ulcer of the skin following admission to hospital.
The prevention and treatment of chronic ulcers of the skin is an integral part of patient care and primarily a matter for local policy and monitoring. My Department continues to sponsor a number of research studies into both the nursing and equipment aspects of this difficult problem.