§ Mr. David Youngasked the Secretary of State for Social Services on what occasions in the last 10 years a Minister in his Department visited Bolton hospitals.
§ Mr. MoyleI have no record of an official visit to Bolton hospitals since 1967. Arrangements for a possible visit by myself in the near future are already in hand.
§ Mr. David Youngasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will make a statement on the effect of the ceiling weaknesses at Bolton General Hospital; and the degree to which this has affected waiting lists.
§ Mr. MoyleStructural faults including ceiling failures in three wards at Bolton406W General Hospital have resulted in the vacation of 29 geriatric beds and 146 psychiatric beds, the patients being temporarily reaccommodated elsewhere in the hospital until the necessary construction work now under way can be completed.
There will be some consequent lengthening of the waiting lists, but it is not possible to give a statistical estimate at this stage.
§ Mr. David Youngasked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) what were the waiting lists at Bolton Royal Hospital for each medical discipline practised in each of the last 10 years;
(2) what were the waiting lists at Bolton General Hospital for each medical discipline practised in each of the last 10 years.
§ Mr. MoyleI am obtaining this information and will circulate it in theOfficial Report as soon as it is available.