HC Deb 06 February 1987 vol 109 cc865-6W
Mrs. Renée Short

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) which regions are unable to provide full emergency obstetric cover outside hospital; and which districts are unable to provide such cover;

(2) which regions are able to provide for all commitments to delivery suites in their hospitals when an obstetrician is required;

(3) which regions can provide in all their districts emergency anaesthetic and paediatric care;

(4) which regions have now set up neonatal intensive care units in line with the recommendations of the Social Services Committee in 1980 and 1984.

Mrs. Currie

The following information was provided by Regional Health Authorities in reply to a questionnaire issued by the Department in October 1985.

(a) Regions and districts which were unable to provide full emergency obstetric care outside hospital—

Region District
Yorkshire Scarborough
East Anglian Peterborough
North East Thames City and Hackney North East Sussex Basildon and Thurrock
South West Thames North West Surrey
South Western North Devon Somerset Torbay
West Midlands Bromsgrove and Redditch
Mersey Southport and Formby

(b) Regions able to provide for all commitments to delivery suites in their hospitals when an obstetrician was requested—

Trent

(c) Regions able to provide in all their districts emergency anaesthetic and paediatric care— Trent, East Anglian, Oxford and Mersey

(d) Regions which have set up neonatal intensive care units in line with the recommendations of the Select Committee in 1980 and 1984— This information is not readily available. Regional Health Authorities are currently developing strategies for the provision of neonatal intensive care in line with the principles enunciated by the Maternity Service Advisory Committee.

Progress in implementing the recommendations of the Maternity Services Advisory Committee will continue to be monitored.

Mrs. Renée Short

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many neonatal nurses have left the National Health Service for work in the private sector since 1979.

Mr. Newton

I regret that information of this nature is not collected centrally.