§ Mr. Beithasked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many neonatal intensive care cots are available in Newcastle; how the provision of such facilities in the Northern region per 1,000 births compares with that in the South East of England; and whether he will improve facilities in the Northern region.
§ Mr. Kenneth ClarkeThere are currently eight neonatal intensive care cots available in Newcastle upon Tyne, six at Newcastle general hospital and two at the Princess Mary maternity hospital. This represents a doubling of provision in the Northern region over the past four years to a level of 0.2 cots per 1,000 live births in 1981. The present level of provision in the South East Thames region is 0.35 cots per 1,000 live births.
This is a field where very welcome and rapid medical advance brings with it a need to provide more services to enable children to be treated who could not have been saved only a few years ago. I am glad to say that planned developments inc the Northern region inlude a unit of eight neonatal intensive care cots at the new South Cleveland maternity hospital. A further major extension of the neonatal intensive care unit at Newcastle general hospital is also under discussion.