§ Mr. Whitlockasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what are the waiting periods for initial out-patient appointments with consultants in each of the various clinics and specialities at the Nottingham hospitals; and what steps are being taken to obviate lengthy periods of waiting for patients.
§ Mr. AlisonUrgent cases are seen without delay. The waiting time for other patients varies so much according to the specialty and the circumstances of the individual case that an average figure would have little meaning. I am aware that some patients have to wait longer than could be wished but extensive 59W developments are now taking place at the Nottingham hospitals, including the construction of a new university hospital, which, together with planned increases in medical staffing, will bring about a major improvement to the services in the Nottingham area.
§ Mr. Whitlockasked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) how many staffed geriatric beds are available in the Nottingham hospitals; what is the waiting list for such beds; and how many old people have died in the last 12 months while awaiting beds;
(2) whether he has estimated, on population trends, how many geriatric beds are likely to be needed in the Nottingham hospitals by 1976; what is the figure; and what plans have been prepared to meet the present and future demands for such beds.
§ Mr. AlisonThere are 631 geriatric beds in the Nottingham University and Nottingham and District Hospital Management Committee Groups; 92 persons are on the waiting list, 226 persons died while awaiting admission to a geriatric bed in the year ended 30th September, 1971: 97 of these died at home; most
Hospital Nursing Staff Establishment Nursing Staff (Whole-time equivalent in post on 30th September, 1971) 1. Nottingham University Hospital Management Committee: (a) Nottingham General Hospital … … … 523 468 (-55) Paddington Hall Hospital … … … … (b) Highbury Hospital … … … … … 151 137 (-14) The Cedars Hospital … … … … … 49 42 (- 7) (c) Nottingham Children's Hospital … … … 98 107 (+ 9) (d) Nottingham Women's Hospital … … … 116 114 (- 2) Nottingham Eye Hospital … … … … 46 47 (+ 1) 2. Nottingham and District Hospital Management Committee: (a) Nottingham City Hospital … … … … 557 525 (-32) (b) Sherwood Hospital … … … … … 209 198 (-11) (c) Ellerslie House … … … … … … 8 5 (- 3) (d) The Firs Maternity Hospital … … … … 47 29 (-18) 3. Trent Vale Hospital Management Committee: (a) The Coppice Hospital … … … … … 44 43 (- 1) (b) Mapperley and St. Anne's Hospital … … … 258 247 (-11) (c) St. Francis Hospital … … … … … 74 74 (—)