HC Deb 03 April 1979 vol 965 cc565-6W
37. Mr. David Atkinson

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he is satisfied with the present provision of neurological services in the Wessex region.

Mr. Moyle

No. The Wessex regional health authority has, however, allocated

Numbers of families estimated to be in receipt of FIS at 31 October 1978 Estimated total population June 1977 FIS families as a percentage of total population
Yorkshire and Humberside … 8,410 4,875,900 0.17
Great Britain … 85,350 54,315,100 0.16

Notes:

  1. 1. Figures shown for the numbers of families in receipt of FIS are estimates based on a routine sample survey and subject to statistical error.
  2. 2. Estimated total population figures are supplied by the Office of Population Censuses and Surveys.

an additional £40,000 per annum to enable a further six beds to be made available to the regional neurological centre at Southampton as soon as the necessary nursing staff can be recruited and is examining possible ways of increasing the bed complement by a further six beds in the longer term. Six beds, which earlier this year were closed because of nurse recruitment difficulties, have now been re-opened.