Birmingham Children's Hospital

HC Deb 15 February 1988 vol 127 cc497-8W

Ms. Walley

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he has any plans to increase funds to provide for the specialist and standard nursing levels which would

All private resident charges 1988–89
Charge class	Not separate arrangements	Separate arrangements
	Single rooms	Shared accommodation	Single rooms	Shared accommodation
	1987–88	1988–89	Per cent. Increase	1987–88	1988–89	Per cent. Increase	1987–88	1988–89	Per cent. Increase	1987–88	1988–89	Per cent. Increase
Long stay (A)	83	93	12.0	75	84	12.0	78	87	11.5	71	79	11.3
Psychiatric (B)	70	85	21.4	64	77	20.3	66	80	21.2	60	73	21.7
Mainly acute (CI)	138	142	2.9	125	129	3.2	130	134	3.1	118	122	3.4
Acute (C2)	157	169	7.6	142	154	8.5	148	160	8.1	134	145	8.2
London Teaching (D)	219	226	3.2	199	206	3.5	206	214	3.9	187	194	3.7
Provincial Teaching (E)	174	182	4.6	158	166	5.1	164	172	4.9	149	156	4.7
London PG SHAs (F)	238	197	-17.2	217	179	-17.5	225	186	-17.3	204	169	17.2
Sick children and National Heart and Chest (G)	335	n/a	n/a	305	n/a	n/a	316	n/a	n/a	287	n/a	n/a

Average (unweighted) per cent. increase: 5.9.

Average weighted per cent. increase: 6.3.

be required to reduce the waiting list for heart operations at Birmingham children's hospital; and if he will make a statement.

Mrs. Currie

The recent problems at the Birmingham children's hospital are primarily the result of a shortage of trained nurses. The chairman of the West Midlands regional health authority has recently announced six areas of action intended to ensure that in future children do not wait for long periods for cardiac surgery. A number of measures are already being taken to improve the recruitment and retention of trained nurses including the proposal for a new paediatric intensive care course in Birmingham later this year.