§ Mr. Gowasked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) whether he will list in the Official Report details of the facilities within the National Health Service for those suffering from spinal injuries; and to what extent those facilities are inadequate to meet demand;
(2) on what date the new spinal injuries unit at Odstock Hospital, Salisbury, will be opened; how many beds there will be available in that unit; and what steps he is taking before that date to make proper arrangements for the medical and surgical treatment of those suffering from spinal injuries.
§ Mr. MoyleSpecific provision is as follows:
Spinal Unit No. of Beds National Spinal Injuries Centre, Stoke Mandeville Hospital 185* Midlands Spinal Injuries Unit, Robert Jones & Agnes Hunt Orthopaedic Hospital, Oswestry 46 Lodge Moor Spinal Injuries Unit, Sheffield 64 Southport Paraplegic Unit, Southport 37 Pinderfields General Hospital Spinal Injuries Unit, Wakefield 31 Hexham Spinal Injuries Unit, Hexham 20 * Includes 30 beds in the younger disabled unit In addition, some patients with spinal injuries will be in other types of hospital accommodation.
It is not yet possible to say exactly when the new 50-bedded unit at Odstock will be in operation, but all concerned are pushing ahead as fast as possible. I have no reason to think that any special provision is needed before Odstock is opened, but I am considering whether any further steps are necessary.