§ Mr. Cartwrightasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what are the most recent estimated annual running costs for each of the hospitals in the Greenwich health district; and what are the latest estimated daily costs per occupied bed at each hospital.
§ Mr. MoyleIn 1976–77, the latest year for which figures are available, the total revenue expenditure and the cost per inpatient day at each hospital were as follows:
Authority employees: and what are the current rents paid.
§ Mr. MoyleThe following office space is occupied by the area health authority, its two district management teams and the family practitioner committee.
tional staffing equipment and accommodation. The area health authority have appointed two additional radiographers and made minor improvements to accommodation and equipment. Other recommendations were referred to the regional health authority for further consideration.
§ Mr. Austin Mitchellasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he is 541W satisfied with the waiting times necessary for contrast medium X-rays in the Grimsby Health District.
§ Mr. Austin Mitchellasked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether, in the light of the requirements for provision of services laid on him by Part II, Section 3(1) of the National Health Service Act 1946, he is satisfied by the adequacy of service and the delays in reports on X-rays in the Grimsby Health District; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. MoyleI share the concern of the regional health authority and area health authority about the length of time patients have to wait in Grimsby for non-urgent barium contrast work. However, I am satisfied that, following the area health authority's acceptance of the majority of the recommendations in the review carried out by the Yorkshire Regional Health Authority, active steps are being taken to improve the service.
§ Mr. Austin Mitchellasked the Secretary of State for Social Services when
Waiting times (in weeks) Plain X-ray referral by Contrast Media X-rays Health District Date General practitioner Consultant Barium Cholecystogram IVP Grimsby … July 1977 1–6 None 24 1 1 June 1978 3–5 None 28* 2 2 Hull … June 1978 1 None 2 2 1 Scunthorpe … June 1978 2 None 8 None None * Barium contrast media examinations requested urgently via a consultant's clinic are provided within a short period of time.
§ Mr. Austin Mitchellasked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether, in the light of the decision by Humberside Area Health Authority that the advice of the Department of Health and Social Security adviser in radiology be sought on the problems in the Grimsby Health District X-ray units, he will make that advice available as a matter of urgency.
§ Mr. Austin Mitchellasked the Secretary of State for Social Services in the
542Whe expects the recommendations of the Yorkshire Regional Health Authority on the consultant radiological service in Grimsby to be implemented.
§ Mr. MoyleSteps have already been taken to implement the recommendations on management responsibilities and on the replacement of obsolete equipment at Scarthe Road Hospital. Those concerning consultant radiology staffing will be considered in the light of discussions now taking place with the Trent Regional Health Authority over the appropriate level of consultant cover for Louth once the new district general hospital at Grimsby is completed.
§ Mr. Austin Mitchellasked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) what is the average waiting time for plain and medium contrast X-rays in the Grimsby Health District; and how this compares with the waiting time for both a year ago;
(2) how the waiting periods for plain and medium contrast X-rays in the Grimsby Health District compare with waiting periods in Scunthorpe and Hull.
§ Mr. MoyleInformation on waiting times is as follows:
light of the waiting times for barium meal and enema investigations in the Grimsby Health District, what waiting times for such X-ray reports he considers to be reasonable.
§ Mr. MoyleI have no information on national average waiting times for these investigations. It is not possible to specify a reasonable waiting time since much depends on the nature of the condition for which the investigation is required and the degree of clinical urgency.
§ Mr. Austin Mitchellasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the average number of patients treated 543W by each radiologist, and by each consultant radiologist, in the Scunthorpe Health District and in the Grimsby Health District, respectively; and to what factors he attributes the difference in rates of treatment.