§ Mrs. Renée Shortasked the Secretary of State for Social Services why information about the numbers of neonatal intensive care cots in each regional health authority in England is not available in his Department.
§ Mr. John PattenIntensive care for the new born is provided in a variety of settings — in general hospital special care baby units as well as in neonatal intensive care units designated as such by regional health authorities. While statistics are routinely collected on the availability of cots in special care baby units, there is at present no generally agreed definition of intensive care which would enable the provision made for this to be recorded separately. With a view to resolving this difficulty, the Health Services information steering group, chaired by Mrs. E. Körner, has recommended a new classification of wards for the neonate, which will be given pilot trials in the NHS in the near future.