§ Mr. Parryasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if the Merseyside 703W Regional Health Authority has discussed the possible closing of Mill Road Maternity Hospital, Liverpool; and what decision was reached.
§ Dr. OwenNo proposal to close Mill Road Maternity Hospital has yet been put to the Mersey Regional Health Authority by the Liverpool Area Health Authority (Teaching).
§ Mr. Parryasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what consultations he has had with the National Union of Public Employees concerning the possible closure of the Liverpool Mill Road Maternity Hospital.
§ Dr. OwenNone. At the beginning of June the Liverpool Area Health Authority (Teaching) issued a consultative document, "The framework for an Area Strategic Plan 1976–86". This includes reference to its decision to explore the possibility of rationalising services in obstetrics and gynaecology, including the closure of Mill Road Maternity Hospital. It is being considered by the Area Joint Conference, on which the various staff interests, including the National Union of Public Employees, are represented.
§ Mr. Parryasked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) what is the anticipated number of redundancies amongst nursing staff if the Liverpool Mill Road Hospital is closed;
(2) what is the anticipated number of redundancies of ancillary staff if the Liverpool Mill Road Maternity Hospital is closed;
(3) what is the anticipated number of redundancies of clerical and administrative staff if the Liverpool Mill Road Hospital closes;
(4) what is the anticipated number of craftsmen who will be redundant if the Liverpool Mill Road Hospital closes.
§ Dr. OwenLiverpool Area Health Authority (Teaching) has not yet considered in detail the effects on staff of its proposal to close the hospital, but it will be consulting with staff interests to minimise the extent of any redundancies.
§ Mr. Parryasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what representations 704W he has received concerning the possible closure of the Liverpool Mill Road Maternity Hospital; and what reply he has sent.
§ Dr. OwenI shall shortly be replying to my right hon. Friend the Member for Huyton (Sir H. Wilson), who has forwarded to me a letter in which the staff of Mill Road Maternity Hospital express their concern for the future of this hospital.
§ Mr. Parryasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if, in the light of staff concern, he will make a statement on the possible closure of the Liverpool Mill Road Maternity Hospital, details of which have been sent to him by the hon. Member for Liverpool, Scotland Exchange.
§ Dr. OwenThe Liverpool Area Health Authority (Teaching) has for some time been considering the implications of the low bed occupancy in maternity units and hospitals in the area. As the first stage in rationalising maternity services, two wards were closed at Mill Road Maternity Hospital on 1st August 1976. Further opportunities for reducing the facilities there arc being considered, and the authority proposes to begin early consultations with the clinical staff, the staff organisations, the University of Liverpool and the community health councils concerned, in order to consider the implications of phasing out all the facilities at that hospital.