§ Ms. Colquhounasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what kind of cost-management techniques are used at Northampton General Hospital.
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§ Ms. Colquhounasked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many vacancies there are at Northampton General Hospital for: (a) doctors, (b) nursing and (c) ancillary staff.
§ Ms. Colquhounasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what are the staffing levels at Northampton General Hospital; and how they compare with the national average in: (a) doctors, (b) nursing and (c) ancillary staff.
§ Mr. MoyleI regret that this information is not readily available, but I shall write to my hon. Friend as soon as it is.
§ Ms. Colquhounasked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many people are awaiting operations at Northampton General Hospital; and if he will publish in the Official Report the length of waiting time for urgent operations and minor operations at the hospital.
§ Mr. Moyle2,720 people were waiting admission for operations on 31st December 1976.
On 21st September 1976, the latest date for which figures are available, 205 people were awaiting admission for urgent operations of whom 150 had been waiting for more than 1 month.
The average waiting time for minor operations is two to three weeks.
§ Ms. Colquhounasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will collate figures for waiting times at Northampton General Hospital before patients: (a) have an operation privately or (b) use the National Health Service.
§ Mr. MoyleI regret that waiting times for admission to Northampton General Hospital of private patients for operations is not available.
Detailed information about NHS operations is not held centrally, but I will write to my hon. Friend.
§ Ms. Colquhounasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what moneys 157W have been spent on improving facilities at Northampton General Hospital over the past five years; and what those improvements have been.
§ Mr. MoyleThe following substantial improvements to Northampton General Hospital have been made between 1971–76.
1971 An additional 48 hostel beds for Billing House. Radio Nene Valley was installed with private funds. 1972–73 Upgrading of Singlehurst Ward, the Ear Nose and Throat Ward and the nurses' home. 1973 A hyperbaric unit, an isotope scanner and a coronary care unit on Benham Ward were provided with private funds. 1973–74 Upgrading of the top floor of the Barratt Maternity Home. 1974 The Cripps recreational centre for staff was provided with private funds. The following smaller improvements have also been made between 1971–76:
upgrading of the Robert Watson day room; and an addition fire escape and a central swill area have been provided.I regret that the amounts spent on each of these projects are not readily available but I shall write to my hon. Friend as soon as possible.
Phase I of the new major development of the hospital, comprising 120 beds, six operating theatres, x-ray and pharmacy departments and supporting services, is due to be completed next year at a cost of £5.3 million.
§ Ms. Colquhounasked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many private operations where patients have paid local consultants but have used the facilities at Northampton General Hospital have taken place over the last three years.
§ Mr. MoyleI regret that this information is not available. However, between 1974–76 400 private patients were admitted to Northampton General Hospital under the care of the six general surgeons at the hospital.
§ Ms. Colquhounasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will make a statement on the reasons for opening a new administration block at Northampton General Hospital; and what is the cost to the NHS.
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§ Mr. MoyleSince the Northamptonshire Area Health Authority came into being on 1st April 1974 its staff have been housed in a number of separate buildings and portakabins and this has caused difficulties in operation and organisation and resulted in a lower level of effectiveness than is desirable.
The AHA has soon to vacate the two floors of rented accommodation which it has been using, and it is considered unlikely that planning permission to continue to use the portakabins on the site at 39 Billing Road, Northampton, will be renewed. Therefore, the AHA was obliged to seek alternative accommodation and has taken the opportunity to centralise its headquarters, which will also increase its efficiency, in a single building at Beaumont, Cliftonville, Northampton.
The total outgoings on Beaumont will be approximately £150,000 per annum.
§ Ms. Colquhounasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will itemise the types of technological equipment purchased for use at Northampton General Hospital over the past five years; and whether the hospital is short of such equipment compared with other NHS hospitals.
§ Mr. MoyleDecisions about such purchases are not made centrally, and a good deal of work would be needed to obtain the information asked for by my hon. Friend. I am, however, informed that compared with other NHS hospitals in the Oxford Region Northampton General Hospital is considered to have had its fair share of equipment.