§ 80 and 81. Dr. David Owenasked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) when the new 1,700 bed General Hospital at Derriford, Plymouth, will start being built; and if he will state its completion date, and the phasing of the building programme;
(2) if he is aware that the in-patient waiting list for hospital admission in the Plymouth area is rising and stands at 7,400; and if he will now approve the construction of the new District General Hospital to relieve the waiting list.
§ Mr. AlisonWe are considering the South Western Regional Hospital Board's proposal to build a new district general hospital at Derriford and an announcement will be made as soon as possible.
272WThe waiting list in the Plymouth area which was 7,400 in March, fell to 7,000 at the end of September. Construction of a new hospital could not relieve wailing lists for several years and the Board is considering what can be done meanwhile to further improve the situation within existing resources.