HC Deb 31 January 1955 vol 536 cc69-71W
75. Mr. K. Robinson

asked the Minister of Health if he is now prepared to make a statement on the observations of the Central Health Services Council with regard to medical superintendents of mental hospitals.

Miss Hornsby-Smith

My right hon. Friend does not consider it would be appropriate at the present time to introduce model standing orders for the general government of mental and mental deficiency hospitals defining the functions of the medical superintendent. With regard to the remuneration of medical superintendents of mental and mental deficiency hospitals, I would refer the hon. Member to the second part of my right hon. Friend's reply of 22nd December, 1954.

77. Mr. Norman Smith

asked the Minister of Health whether he is aware of the domestic confusion and distress resulting from the shortage of mental hospital accommodation in the East Midlands; whether the additional buildings now being erected at Aston Hall Hospital will suffice for all the cases now on the waiting list; and when it is hoped to complete these buildings.

Miss Hornsby-Smith

My right hon. Friend is fully aware of the position, and he has great sympathy for the families concerned. The additional 120 beds now being provided at Aston Hall Hospital, which are due to be completed at the end of this year, will certainly not meet the full demand for mental deficiency accommodation in this area. But schemes are in progress to extend this hospital to provide a total of 833 beds and at Balderton Hospital, which will also help to relieve the position, to provide a total of 822 beds.

82. Mr. Dodds

asked the Minister of Health why, when there is a procedure in the general hospitals in the Dartford area authorising a diet allowance of up to 26s. per head weekly, there is no such procedure for mental hospitals in the area; and whether he will state by what method the hon. Member for Dartford can obtain the information as to the weekly diet allowance in the mental hospitals.

Miss Hornsby-Smith

It is a matter for the hospital management committees to determine how best to control the expenditure of the sums allocated to them by the regional hospital board. As my right hon. Friend indicated in his reply of 25th January, there is no fixed diet allowance in the mental hospitals in this area; nor does the procedure adopted in the other hospitals in fact constitute a fixed allowance which cannot be varied.