§ Mr. Will Griffithsasked the Minister of Health whether the review of pay beds which he has asked hospital boards to undertake will include a review of the future of the private patients' wing at the Manchester Royal Infirmary.
§ Mr. K. RobinsonYes.
§ Mr. Will Griffithsasked the Minister of Health whether the fees paid by 75W patients in the private patients' wing of the Manchester Royal Infirmary are sufficient to cover maintenance costs of the buildings, wages and salaries and other overhead expenses; and whether he will estimate, to the nearest convenient date, the amount of costs borne on public funds.
§ Mr. K. RobinsonCharges to private patients in all the hospitals of the United Manchester Hospitals Group are calculated in accordance with the Pay-Bed Regulations, 1953, and are designed to ensure that the hospital authorities recover the whole cost, including overhead charges, of the accommodation and services provided for private patients in these hospitals, in accordance with Section 5(1) of the National Health Service Act, 1946.