§ Mr. Higginsasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he expects that his present plans for the expansion of Worthing Hospital will be adequate to make good the lack of beds in Worthing Hospital to which attention has been drawn in the report of the Parliamentary Commissioner, a copy of which has been sent to him.
§ Mr. Higginsasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what plans he 450W has to improve Worthing Hospital; and when he expects those plans to be implemented.
§ Mr. MoyleI understand that future proposals for developments at this hospital concentrate on the improvement of out-patient facilities and back-up services as providing the most effective immediate improvements in services to patients. Implementation of these plans will be for the South West Thames Regional Health Authority and the West Sussex Area Health Authority and will naturally depend on the availability of resources.
§ Mr. Higginsasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will state the maximum number of beds at Worthing Hospital which were not in use because of staff shortages in 1974, 1975 and 1976; and whether he expects sufficient staff to be available in the future.
§ Mr. MoyleI understand that no beds were closed because of staff shortages prior to the commissioning of a new ward block early in 1975. By the end of 1975 175, and by the end of 1976 72 of the net additional 248 beds remained unopened because of difficulties in recruiting staff. Fifty of the unopened beds are for geriatric patients to whose needs the district management team is giving urgent consideration.