§ Mrs. Jegerasked the Secretary of State for Social Services why the lifts at the Elizabeth Garrett Anderson Hospital have not been repaired so as to bring back to service all available beds.
§ Mr. MoyleThe Camden and Islington Area Health Authority (Teaching) has deferred a decision on the repair works to the lifts until a decision on the hospital's future has been taken. My right hon. Friend is giving urgent consideration to the North East Thames Regional Health Authority's recommendations on the future of the Elizabeth Garrett Anderson hospital.
§ Mrs. Jegerasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what information he has regarding the number of in-patients and out-patients at the Elizabeth Garrett Anderson Hospital who come from outside the South Camden and Islington health area; and whether he will consider some central funding for this specialist hospital.
§ Mr. MoyleThe routine National Health Service statistical system does not provide information on the residence of out-patients. Also, the Elizabeth Garrett Anderson hospital has not implemented hospital activity analysis, so that a ready assessment of the catchment area it serves is not available. However, both the Camden and Islington Area Health Authority (Teaching) and the North East Thames Regional Health Authority have undertaken separate surveys of the area of residence of in-patients at the EGA.
The Area Health Authority (Teaching)'s study, which took place in 1973, indicated that while 27 per cent. of EGA in-patients came from the Camden and 518W Islington area, 98 per cent. came from within the four Thames regions. The RHA's study covered in-patients in 1977 and made similar findings, in that of the in-patients at the EGA on Euston Road and those under the care of EGA staff at the Whittington Hospital 25 per cent. came from within Camden and Islington and less than 2 per cent. from outside the four Thames regions. Central funding for the EGA would not be appropriate.