§ Mr. Alfred Morrisasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what consultation his Department had with the North-Western regional health authority about its proposals to rationalise the numbers of beds in Manchester hospitals; what advice his Department gave the authority; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Kenneth ClarkeA joint study of hospital services in Greater Manchester by the North Western regional health authority and the Department carried out in 1981 concluded that the development of services for under-resourced districts and services for the elderly, mentally ill and mentally handicapped in North Western region depended in part upon the release of resources from over-financed services in other districts. The regional health authority and I agreed on this policy of making better use of resources to speed up progress in developing priority services and to develop services in under-resourced districts at the 1982 annual review meeting with the regional health authority, which I chaired. The policy is reflected in the action plan I sent to the regional chairman following that meeting, a copy of which has been placed in the Library.
§ Mr. Alfred Morrisasked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) if he will estimate the annual savings to be made from the rationalisation of hospital beds in Manchester hospitals as proposed by the North-Western regional health authority;
(2). with regard to the proposed rationalisation of hospital beds in Manchester, if he will list the reasons for the proposed changes given by the North-Western regional health authority, together with his comments on each of them;
(3). with respect to the proposals of the North-Western regional health authority to rationalise hospital beds in Manchester, what is the estimated time lag between the removal of general surgical beds at Manchester Royal infirmary, gynaecological beds at St. Mary's hospital and opthalmic beds at the Royal eye hospital and their replacement in other parts of the region; and if he will make a statement;
98W(4). if he will assess the employment implications for Manchester as a result of the loss of jobs following the rationalisation of hospital beds in Manchester.
§ Mr. Kenneth ClarkeI refer the right hon. Member to my reply to the right hon. Member for Manchester, Openshaw (Mr. Morris) on 29 March 1983. [Vol. 40, c.117–18.]
§ Mr. Alfred Morrisasked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether in the light of the proposals of the North-Western regional health authority to rationalise hospital beds in Manchester, he has any plans to increase the funds to health districts in the rest of the region.
§ Mr. Kenneth ClarkeThe allocation of funds to district health authorities in North Western region is the responsibility of the regional health authority. If the RHA reduces the provision of funds at any time to a district or a service, it is free to allocate those funds to other districts or services where it judges the needs to be greater.
§ Mr. Alfred Morrisasked the Secretary of State for Social Services, with respect to the proposals of the North-Western regional health authority to rationalise hospital beds in Manchester, if he is aware of similar proposals for rationalisation in other conurbations.
§ Mr. Kenneth ClarkeA number of regional health authorities are examining the scope for transferring resources from over-provided acute services to fund priority developments in other patient services. In London, substantial acute bed reductions have already taken place largely to release funds for neglected districts and services for the elderly, mentally handicapped and mentally ill, and further rationalisation is planned. Mersey RHA has plans for reductions in surplus acute beds in Liverpool to release funds for developments in under-funded districts. It is too early to know how the pattern of services in other conurbations will be affected, but changes in the pattern of provision must follow changes in population distribution and health needs if we are to ensure that health resources are used in the most effective way.
§ Mr. Alfred Morrisasked the Secretary of State for Social Services, with respect to the proposals of the North-Western regional health authority to rationalise hospital beds in Manchester, what consultations the authority had with the University of Manchester before or after the publication of the proposals; what conclusions were reached; and what views were expressed to the authority by the university.
§ Mr. Kenneth ClarkeThe joint report of the North Western regional health authority and the Department on the strategy for hospital services in Greater Manchester was sent on publication to the University of Manchester, which submitted comments on the implications of the report for the level of undergraduate teaching facilities. The Regional University Liaison Committee is now considering the regional health authority's proposals for acute bed reductions in central Manchester district.