§ 72. Dame Jill KnightTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what steps he will take to ensure that the intensive care unit at Queen Elizabeth hospital, Birmingham, is sufficiently funded so as to ensure that all seriously ill renal patients can obtain treatment.
§ Mrs. CurrieThe allocation of resources to Queen Elizabeth hospital, Birmingham, is a matter for the Central Birmingham district health authority. I understand that the authority will be opening an additional—eighth—bed in the new intensive care unit in July and a further four when funds permit.
The Queen Elizabeth hospital is one of seven centres providing renal treatment in the west midlands and it is for the West Midlands regional health authority to decide the allocations between them. I understand that the regional health authority has increased its funding of the region's renal programme by £320,000 over the last year's levels—a 30 per cent. increase in real terms—and is considering the possibility of increasing this still further.