§ 56. Mr. D. Howellasked the Minister of Health what is the national average weekly cost per patient spent upon food in mental hospitals at the latest convenient date; how this compares with patients in other hospitals; and how the 166W figures for the Birmingham Regional Board compare with the national average.
§ Miss Hornsby-SmithFigures for patients excluding staff are not available. The average weekly cost of provisions per person fed in the principal groups of non-teaching hospitals in the year ended 31st March, 1955, was:
Type of hospital National average Average for Birmingham Region £ s. d. £ s. d. Mental 16 11 15 7 Mental Deficiency 16 2 14 9 Acute 1 5 6 1 6 4 Mainly Acute 1 5 7 1 4 5 Partly Acute 1 4 4 1 3 9 Mainly Long Stay 1 3 5 1 3 8 Long Stay 19 1 19 4 Chronic 19 11 1 0 6 Maternity 1 5 8 1 6 7 Tuberculosis and Chest 1 8 8 1 7 8