§ Miss Herbisonasked the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) how many patients have had treatment in the Industrial Chest Unit at Bangour Hospital, West Lothian; and from which areas these patients have been drawn;
(2) if he will encourage each regional hospital board, whose area covers a coalfield, to set up an Industrial Chest Unit, similar to that at Bangour Hospital.
§ Mr. J. StuartSince April, 1951, when the unit was opened, 82 patients have been treated in the ten beds available. Out-patients have been dealt with over a longer period, and in all, 750 new outpatients have been seen. The bulk of the patients have come from the Lothians, particularly West Lothian, with small numbers from Stirlingshire, Fife and Lanarkshire. This special unit 23W is an experimental one and sufficient experience has not yet been gained to enable decisions to be taken on questions of future development in this field. Meanwhile the general medical and chest units in the other areas provide facilities, as required, for the diagnosis and treatment of industrial chest conditions.