§ Commander Purseyasked the Minister of Health if he will state the number of social and medical ground maternity cases in Hull who, in the last year, have been refused admission to hospital owing to a lack of beds, and the number of additional beds provided by the Leeds Regional Hospital Board in the last six years.
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§ Mr. Walker-SmithThe answer to both parts of the Question is "none", but there is an arrangement with the local health authority whereby applications for admission on social grounds are limited in accordance with the number of beds available.
§ Commander Purseyasked the Minister of Health if he will state the number of hospital maternity cases in Hull, in the last year, who have had to be discharged five days after childbirth instead of the minimum of eight days as recommended by the Central Midwives' Board; and what action he proposes forthwith to remedy the maternity bed problem in Hull.
§ Mr. Walker-SmithI regret that statistics are not separately kept of discharges five days after childbirth, but the need for better maternity hospital accommodation in Hull is recognised and a start will shortly be made on improvements to the Maternity Hospital which are estimated to cost some £140,000.