§ Mr. Conlanasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will make a statement on the plans for reducing the nursing staff at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Gateshead.
§ Mr. AlisonThe designation of a number of the specialty beds at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Gateshead has recently been changed. In view of this, and the transfer of 70 mentally handicapped patients from wards in the Gateshead Group of Hospitals, which includes the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, to the newly developed Northgate and District Hospital, the nursing establishment of the Gateshead Group has been reduced and funds made available in the current year have been reduced accordingly. Following representations from the Hospital Management Committee an Assistant Nursing Officer from the Regional Hospital Board has investigated the deployment of nurses in the Group. Her report has been sent to the Group for consideration and subsequent discussion with the Board.