§ Mr. Barry JonesTo ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) where, in Wales, hospitals are equipped to treat kidney stones by using lithotripsy; and if he will make a statement;
2. if he will release funds to enable Clwyd area health authority to purchase equipment and to appoint staff to enable them to treat kidney stones by lithotripsy method; and if he will make a statement;
3. what is the cost of equipping a hospital in Wales with lithotripsy method.
§ Mr. GristLithotripters are a developing technology which is being monitored by the Department. The cost of equipping a hospital with a lithotripter is estimated to be in the region of £700,000 capital for installation and £200,000 annually for running costs. No hospital in Wales is presently equipped with the technology and the Department have no plans to fund Clwyd health authority to acquire a lithotripter. It is open to the authority to consider appropriate arrangements to obtain lithotripsy treatment from those centres which provide the service.