§ Mr. Hugh Jenkinsasked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) what are his plans for pregnant women in hospital in the event of imminent threat of nuclear war;
(2) what are his plans for sick children in hospital at the time of expectation of nuclear war.
§ Mr. MoyleAdvice has recently been promulgated to health authorities about the planning they should undertake for the organisation of health services in time of war. In order to release the maximum number of beds possible for the care of casualties after attack authorities726W would be expected to discharge as many patients as possible, including maternity cases and children, to their homes. Decisions about individual discharges would be made in the light of clinical conditions, home circumstances, alternative sources of care, and as far as possible, individual wishes. As a general guide it is suggested that the criteria for selecting patients for discharge should be related to those that would have to be adopted, following an attack with many casualties, for the admission of patients for hospital treatment.