§ Mr. Matthewsasked the Minister of Health what steps are being taken to improve the maternity hospital services in North Warwickshire; when the new maternity hospital in Sutton Coldfield will be completed; and what is the position with regard to the availability of consultant staff and midwives in this area.
§ Mr. Walker-SmithThe Birmingham Regional Hospital Board has not yet completed the review of hospital maternity accommodation in its area which it, with other Regional Hospital Boards, was asked on 31st July last to undertake in the light of the Cranbrook Report. It is however, at present considering the provision of new maternity hospital accommodation at Sutton Coldfield and Nuneaton, and North Warwickshire may also derive some indirect benefit from a new maternity hospital which the Board is proposing to provide in Coventry.
239WAt this stage I cannot say when the new maternity unit at Sutton Coldfield will be completed.
With regard to the third part of the Question I am not aware of any shortage of consultant obstetricians and gynaecologists in North Warwickshire. I understand that there is a deficiency of hospital midwives of the order of 20 per cent. I am not aware of any marked deficiency of midwives for domiciliary cases.