§ Ms. WalleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Services how many planned heart operations requiring intensive care unit support have taken place at the Birmingham children's hospital since 1 March; how many children remain on the waiting list requiring immediate treatment; where the job advertisements for ISU nursing staff have appeared; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mrs. CurrieI understand that, between 1 March and 16 May, 60 heart procedures that required post-operative intensive care were undertaken at the Birmingham children's hospital. At the end of April, 21 children were judged by clinicians to require heart surgery within the next eight weeks. Jobs for intensive care nursing staff have been advertised in the nursing press including theNursing Times, and through job forums held in various locations.
The most urgent category within the waiting list, excluding emergency cases which cannot of course be predicted, is children judged by clinicians to require surgery within one month. During April, 10 such children were identified, all of whom have been treated.
11985 1986 1987 Number of donations tested for HIV antibody 611,694 2,633,862 2,594,964 Number of donations found HIV antibody positive 14 54 24 Number of people who gave an HIV antibody positive donation and who could not be contacted None 1 2 1October to December only. The current average cost to the blood transfusion service of an HIV antibody test (including the cost of the test kit and overheads) is estimated at 90p per donation. Other tests routinely undertaken are those for hepatitis B surface antigen, syphilis, blood grouping and the level of haemoglobin. Precise costings for these tests are not held centrally.