§ Mr. Ashleyasked the Secretary of State for Social Services on what grounds he stated, in answer to a recent parliamentary Question, that it was not practicable to collect information centrally about iron lungs; and if he will now make arrangements to collate this information and ensure that the supply and condition of this medical equipment is adequate.
§ Mr. Alfred MorrisAs my hon. Friend will note, in my reply on 25th April—[Vol. 930, c.262]—I said that it was not practicable to collect the information centrally as a matter of routine. I have in fact had an ad hoc investigation carried out and the information now available to me is as follows:
Number of iron lungs in use: 33 (including 23 under the control of the Phipps Unit at South Western Hospital).
Number of usable iron lungs not in use: 28 (including one for a child).
Number of iron lungs needing repair: 23 (including two for children).
My Department has passed on this information to Dr. Geoffrey Spencer, consultant in charge of the Phipps Unit, in
192W
Region Number of Speech Therapists in post at 30th September 1975 (whole time equivalent) Long-term Target Number of Speech Therapists based on the Quirk Report recommendations (whole time equivalent) Northern … … … … … 47 144 Yorkshire … … … … … 66 164 Trent … … … … … 83 209 East Anglia … … … … … 25 83 North West Thames … … … … … 60 159 North East Thames … … … … … 89 170 South East Thames … … … … … 80 164 South West Thames … … … … … 65 132 Wessex … … … … … 42 122 Oxford … … … … … 73 102 Southwestern … … … … … 45 146 West Midlands … … … … … 82 237 Mersey … … … … … 42 115 Northwestern … … … … … 61 187 England Total … … … … … 860 2,134 view of his close interest in this matter. He and my officials are now in contact about the results of the investigation. My advisers are of the opinion that no further action is needed to obtain additional iron lungs in view of the number of usable ones now available, and bearing in mind other available methods of providing assisted ventilation of patients in the acute stage. But, as distribution of iron lungs is uneven as between regions, my Department will be suggesting to regional authorities ways of ensuring that each region has at least one machine in reserve.