HC Deb 14 January 1977 vol 923 cc645-8W
Mr. Carter-Jones

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) what action he intends to take in the light of the recommendations of the Court Committee Report on Child Health Services that nurseries providing intensive care should be centralised, with at least one in each region which is of adequate size, appropriately equipped and staffed and directed by a consultant in neo-natal paediatrics; and if he will make a statement;

(2) what action he intends to take in the light of the recommendations of the Court Committee Report on Child Health Services that the transport of immature and seriously ill babies should be reviewed; and if he will make a statement;

(3) what action he intends to take in the light of the recommendations of the Court Committee Report on Child Health Services that the special post-natal screening examination should be the basis of the child's health record; and if he will make a statement;

(4) what action he intends to take in the light of the recommendations of the Court Committee Report on Child Health Services that every new-born baby should be evaluated immediately after delivery and should have a full post-natal examination between the age of six and 10 days; and if he will make a statement;

(5) what action he proposes to take in the light of the recommendations of the Court Committee Report on Child Health Services that the maternity and neo-natal departments should be sensitive to the social and psychological needs of mothers and their babies in the post-natal care period;

(6) what action he will take in the light of the recommendations of the Court Committee Report on Child Health Services that mothers should be encouraged to take a larger part in the post-natal care of their babies; if he will indicate what action he intends taking on this recommendation; and if he will make a statement;

(7) what action he will take in the light of recommendation No. 2 on page 370 of the Court Committee Report on Child Health Services that further research should be encouraged into ways by which the pre-natal wellbeing of the foetus can be monitored by methods which can be routinely applied and which do not cause distress to the mother; and if he will make a statement;

(8) what action he will take in the light of recommendation No. 2 on page 370 of the Court Committee Report on Child Health Services into research and development on methods for pre-natal diagnosis; and if he will make a statement;

(9) what further action he proposes to take on the recommendation of the Court Committee Report on Child Health Services regarding a further study aimed at providing those involved with clearer guidance on what advise parents need during the ante-natal period, and how best to give it to them; and if he will make a statement;

(10) if he will conduct a research programme as recommended by the Court Committee Report on Child Health Services into the regional and social class variations in perinatal mortality and morbidity; and if he will make a statement;

(11) if he will take steps to implement the Court Committee Report on Child Health Services regarding the further encouragement to the training of midwives in the care of the new-born and the social and emotional aspects of childbirth; what funds will be available for this purpose; and if he will make a statement;

(12) what action he intends to take on the Court Committee Report on Child Health Services to ensure that the child health visitor should have contact with the expectant mother during pregnancy and with the mother and baby during the first few days of the baby's life, that is during the perinatal period; and if he will make a statement;

(13) what action he is taking on the Court Committee Report on Child Health Services to ensure that a substantial proportion of the nursing staff in special intensive care nurseries should hold a certificate in special intensive care for babies awarded by the Joint Board of Clinical Nursing Studies; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Moyle

I would refer my hon. Friend to my right hon. Friend's statement made in reply to a Question from my hon. Friend the Member for Brent, South (Mr. Pavitt) when the Court Report was published on 16th December. Health authorities and a wide range of interested organisations have been invited to let us have their comments on the Court Report by 30th June 1977. The consultation letter made it clear that we are anxious that careful consideration should be given now to the desirability of, and scope for implementing at the appropriate time the Report's major recommendations. This, of course, must take place against the background of the economic restraints referred to in my right hon. Friend's statement. There are however a number of recommendations which would require little or no additional resources, and we have asked for views on which recommendations it would be both desirable and feasible to make progress in the short-term, given current resource constraints. In parallel with these external consultations, my Department will be attempting a detailed analysis of the human and financial resource implications of implementation.—[Vol. 922, c.819–20].