§ Mr. Miscampbellasked the Secretary of State for Social Services, in view of the present acute shortage, what future provision of new hospital beds is proposed for the Blackpool and Fylde area.
§ Sir George YoungThe shortage of acute and geriatric beds in the Blackpool and Fylde area has recently been under urgent review by the North Western regional health authority and the Lancashire area health authority. These authorities are currently considering proposals to build a new unit of 112 acute beds with three operating theatres and a plaster theatre at the Victoria hospital, Blackpool; and to include 96 geriatric beds in the first phase of a community hospital on a new site in St. Annes. These new proposals do not affect the long-term aim, which is to provide a second district general hospital for Blackpool and Fylde as soon as possible.
Other schemes to provide new hospital beds are included in the capital programme published by the regional health authority in April 1980, which is now being revised. For more detailed information my hon. Friend may like to consult the authorities concerned.