§ Mr. Hayhoeasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the current cost of hospital services in the Ealing, Hammersmith and Hounslow areas; what proportion of the total is spent on administration services; and what were the comparable figures for each of the last five years.
§ Dr. OwenThe following table shows for the three years since NHS reorganisation the total cost of hospital services in the area and the proportion spent on direct hospital administration. There is310W in addition the cost of district and area headquarters administration which is concerned with planning and managing the whole range of health services in the area. Comparable figures are not available for earlier years.
Cost of hospital services £ million Proportion spent on hospital administration Per cent. 1974–75 36.7 7.1 1975–76 (provisional) 41.7 7.4 1976–77 (budget estimate) 43.3 6.8
§ Mr. Hayhoeasked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he will publish in theOfficial Report a list of those hospitals in West London where major cuts or closure of services are under consideration.
§ Dr. OwenEaling, Hammersmith and Hounslow Area Health Authority (Teaching) is currently overspending, and various economy measures are being sought. The implications of closing services in the following hospitals are being studied, taking into account the need for long-term rationalisation and the views expressed in the Consultative Document on Priorities for Health and Personal Social Services: Western Hospital, Fulham; Queen Victoria Hospital, Hanwell; Southall-Norwood Hospital; Brentford Hospital; South Middlesex Hospital Isleworth; Hounslow Hospital.
A similar position obtains in the Kensington and Chelsea and Westminster AHA (Teaching) and Hillingdon AHA, where the management teams have the position under review and will be reporting to their authorities shortly. The only proposal formulated at present is the closure of Harlington Cottage Hospital.