HC Deb 20 July 1979 vol 970 cc879-80W
Dr. Summerskill

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he is satisfied that the privilege of privacy available to patients in pay beds in National Health Service hospitals does not cause any non-paying patients in clinical need of privacy to be deprived of it.

Dr. Vaughan

Yes. The legislation governing pay beds specifically provides that hospital accommodation authorised for use by private patients can be made available for a National Health Service patient if it is needed more urgently by him on medical grounds.