§ Mr. Jacques ArnoldTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he has received adequate and acceptable assurances from the Dartford and Gravesham district health authority concerning the standard of medical care
758W
§ Mrs. CurrieThe number of notifications of all forms of meningitis and meningococcal meningitis for the years requested is shown in the table.
to be provided in support of the in-patient and casualty services at Gravesend and North Kent hospital under the recently approved rationalisation plan; and if he will give details of that supporting medical care.
§ Mrs. CurrieThe Gravesend and North Kent hospital presently accommodates obstetric and gynaecology patients, a special care baby unit, general surgical and orthopaedic patients. A daytime casualty service is also provided.
The health authority has informed me that the medical cover provided is as follows:
Obstetrics and Gynaecology
Constant resident coverGeneral Surgery
Constant resident coverOrthopaedics
Constant resident coverPaediatrics
759WConstant resident coverAnaesthetics
Constant resident coverGeneral Medicine
There are no general medical beds remaining but if an inpatient requires to be seen by a physician then a consultant attending a general medical out-patients' clinic at the hospital could attend or a doctor would attend from Joyce Green or West Hill Hospital.Casualty
A 9 am to 9 pm casualty service is provided for `walk-in' cases.Emergency ambulance cases are taken direct to West Hill hospital. The casualty doctor at Gravesend and North Kent hospital provides initial treatment and has the support of other specialist doctors on site if required.Should a patient with a medical condition attend, advice is available, if required, from physicians at West Hill or Joyce Green hospital.If admission to a medical bed is considered appropriate arrangements have been made with the ambulance service for rapid transport of patients to Joyce Green hospital, with a nurse escort if necessary.