§ Mr. Carter-Jonesasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what proportion of serious open-heart surgeries have been performed under the National Health Service and what proportion is funded by outside bodies; and if he will make a statement.
§ Dr. VaughanThe number of open-heart operations performed under the NHS in the United Kingdom in 1976, the latest available figure, is understood to be between 7,000 and 8,000. Information is not collected on particular operations
586Wopen a conference in June at the newly established nursing practice research unit at Northwick Park hospital and clinical research centre, which concentrated on the prevention of pressure sores. A greater understanding of the underlying causes is certainly needed so that patient care can be aimed at avoiding them. There is no simple solution to the problems of preventing pressure sores but the papers presented at the conference are to be published and this will, I am sure, go some way towards relating the principles of prevention to the practical approaches currently available.