§ Mr. Grieveasked the Minister of Health why he gave the Birmingham Regional Hospital Board only three weeks, from 23rd August to 15th September, to prepare comments on his proposals to cut down the number of pay beds in the area; and if he will extend the time so that the public can make their objections known.
§ Mr. K. RobinsonThe hon. Member has been misinformed. After consideration of the report submitted by the Board on their review of pay beds my Department wrote to them on 18th August raising a number of points and the Board replied on 5th October. I have now conveyed my decisions to the Board.
§ Mr. Grieveasked the Minister of Health why he has decided to overrule the proposals of the Birmingham Regional Hospital Board that there should be three pay beds at East Birmingham General Hospital, six at Solihull Hospital, six at East Birmingham Chest Hospital and two at Hollymoor Hospital, and proposes instead that there should be no pay beds at East Birmingham General Hospital, East Birmingham Chest Hospital and Hollymoor Hospital and only three at Solihull Hospital; and if he will reconsider his proposals in the light of the demand for such beds in the area.
§ Mr. K. RobinsonThe hon. Member is misinformed. I have in fact authorised four pay beds at East Birmingham General Hospital and four at Solihull Hospital, an increase of one and a decrease of two, respectively, from the numbers before the review. The other two32W hospitals mentioned had no pay beds and I did not consider provision was justified. In arriving at these decisions I took into account all factors relevant to the demand for beds for non-paying and for private patients.