§ Mr. Alfred Morrisasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if, pursuant to the replies of the Minister of State to the right hon. Member for Manchester, Wythenshawe on 27 February, 6 and 18 46W March relating to the deferment of heart operations, he will now make a statement on the outcome of the Minister of State's meeting with the chairman of the Commissioners and King's College Hospital clinicians on 20 March.
§ Dr. VaughanAt a meeting on 20 March 1980 I discussed the position of the cardiac unit at King's College hospital with two of the clinicians directly concerned, the chairman of the commissioners and officers of the RHA, the AHA(T) and the district.
It was agreed that the costs of treating patients admitted to the unit had to be contained within the resources made available to the district as a whole. Allocations to the district for 1980–81 and the budget for the cardiac unit will be for the area health authority to determine when it resumes office on 1 April.
The regional health authority is preparing guidelines on the scale of provision and developments of regional specialities—cardiac units are one example—and, I understand, will take appropriate account of the costs of such services in the allocations it makes to its Areas.
If they so request, I have agreed to discuss the position again with the clinicians later this year.
§ Mr. Kilroy-Silkasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will update and publish in the same form the information given in answer to the hon. Member for Ormskirk on 31 July 1978 on open heart surgery.
§ Dr. VaughanI have nothing to add to my right hon. Friend's reply to the hon. Member of 18 March. Vol. 981, [c. 140–142.]