HC Deb 01 February 1972 vol 830 cc111-2W
Mr. Nicholas Edwards

asked the Secretary for Wales whether mothers are now being invited as a matter of routine to stay in Welsh hospitals with their children in those cases where children have to be sent to hospital.

Mr. Peter Thomas

In its interim report, the Welsh Hospital Board's Working Party on Children in Hospital in Wales urged that mothers should be routinely invited to stay in hospital with their children. The board has asked hospital management committees to examine this and the report's other recommendations in the light of their own situation.

Mr. Nicholas Edwards

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what action has been taken to remove the restrictions on visiting that in April, 1971, applied to 37 children's wards in Welsh hospitals, including the two wards where set visiting was less often than daily, and the nine where set visiting arrangements averaged less than two hours daily.

Mr. Peter Thomas

The interim report of the Welsh Hospital Board's Working Party which drew attention to these facts

Mr. Peter Thomas

Figures of expenditure on roads in Wales on the same basis as those contained in Table 2.9 of Cmnd. 4829 are as follows:

was sent to the hospital authorities concerned and their comments have been invited. Similar action was taken with the interim report of another of the board's committees studying the visiting of patients in general. Some restrictions have already been lifted. The Welsh Hospital Board intends to review the position when the working parties make their further reports.

Mr. Nicholas Edwards

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what action the Welsh Hospital Board is taking to reduce the average distance of over 29 miles that Merioneth children have to travel to receive hospital treatment; and whether it is satisfied that its present plans for West Wales will not increase the distance that children have to travel to hospital in Pembrokeshire.

Mr. Peter Thomas

The Welsh Hospital Board is aware of the problems of travelling to hospitals particularly in rural areas but there are other considerations also. Its plans would not reduce the average distances which children from Merioneth and Pembrokeshire have to travel to hospital and in some cases might increase them. But they are designed as a practical way to improve the paediatric services for the children in the best interests of their health.