§ Mr. Alec Jonesasked the Minister of Health what percentage of the towns of Great Britain with a population of 95,000 or over have a casualty unit within their boundaries.
§ Mr. K. RobinsonI regret that this information is not available. The report of the sub-committee of my Standing Medical Advisory Committee on Accident and Emergency Services recommended a concentration of these services in a pattern of accident and emergency units staffed and equipped to deal immediately with major injuries and other emergency cases at any hour of the day and night, and that such units should each serve populations of at least 150,000. Rationalisation along these lines inevitably involves the closure of casualty departments at some hospitals.