HC Deb 18 February 1991 vol 186 cc33-4W
Mr. Hinchliffe

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proportion of national health service acute beds are normally available for emergency admissions.

Mrs. Virginia Bottomley

This information is not held centrally. It is for each hospital unit to decide the proportion of its national health service acute beds to be made available for emergency admission. The proportion of all patients—in-patients and day cases—admitted immediately was 56 per cent. in 1989–90.

Mr. Hinchliffe

To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what consideration is currently being given to the projected lengthening of surgical waiting lists resulting from national health service treatment of war casualties;

(2) if he will instruct all regional health authorities to open, equip and staff wards and beds, previously closed for financial reasons, to meet the needs of Gulf patients and continued treatment of waiting list patients.

Mr. Dorrell

I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave the right hon. Member for Manchester, Wythenshawe (Mr. Morris) and the hon. Members for Easington (Mr. Cummings), for Newham, North-West (Mr. Banks) and for Stoke-on-Trent, North (Ms. Walley) on 17 January at columns583–84.

Mr. Hinchliffe

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if, once Gulf casualties have been transferred to the national health service, hospitals will be responsible for dealing with relatives' inquiries and visits.

Mr. Dorrell

National health service hospitals treating Gulf casualties will deal with relatives' inquiries and visits in conjunction with the military administrative officers (civil hospitals).

Mr. Hinchliffe

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many beds are available within English, Welsh and regional burns units to deal with serious burns.

Mrs. Virginia Bottomley

Identification of the need for, and provision of, services for serious burns are matters for regions to determine. In the event of exceptional demand, consultants would be expected to exercise their normal discretion to seek inter-hospital transfer or to set up "satellite" units.

Mr. Hinchliffe

To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what training has been provided to national health service nurses on how to deal with the effects of chemical weapons upon patients;

(2) what advice has been given to national health staff about the possibility of contamination by chemical and biological agents when treating patients contaminated by such agents;

(3) what experience existing national health service staff, not called for service in the Gulf, have in dealing with the results of chemical and biological weapons;

(4) what information national health service hospitals have received concerning patients contaminated by biological agents as a result of warfare in the Gulf;

(5) what proportion of persons suffering from the effects of chemical contamination in the Gulf are likely to be treated, in the longer term, by the national health service;

(6) what number of chemical warfare victims can be dealt with by the national health service.

Mr. Dorrell

NHS hospitals will treat all Gulf casualties admitted to them. Those suffering from the effects of chemical weapons will be decontaminated before being evacuated to the United Kingdom. There is therefore no threat to NHS staff from treating such casualties.

I am advised that, after decontamination has taken place, the most likely effects of chemical weapons are similar to those arising in other circumstances, for which NHS staff are already trained. The experience which individual members of staff have depends on a variety of circumstances and is not recorded centrally.

The NHS has not been asked by the Ministry of Defence to prepare for reception of casualties suffering from the effects of biological weapons. Should the need arise, such casualties would need immediate treatment and this would be given in the Gulf area.

Mr. Hinchliffe

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps have been taken to provide the levels of skilled staff required to expand regional burns unit capacity, should this be required.

Mrs. Virginia Bottomley

Normal regional planning for contingencies, such as major accidents, includes taking account of the possible need to increase levels of skilled staff in burns units. National guidance has been issued to regions to supplement their normal planning arrangements in the event of casualties from the Gulf war.

Mr. Hinchliffe

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what counselling and other support services will be provided to national health service personnel treating war casualties.

Mr. Dorrell

The provision of counselling and other support services for NHS personnel treating war casualties will be determined at local level.

Mr. Hinchliffe

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what advice he has given to regional health authority press officers concerning casualties from the Gulf treated in the national health service.

Mr. Dorrell

The Department has issued advice on how to deal with issues likely to arise.

Mr. Hinchliffe

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what level of psychiatric services will be made available to personnel returning from the Gulf.

Mr. Dorrell

Personnel returning from the Gulf and referred to the NHS will have available the full range of normal NHS psychiatric services for treatment as appropriate.