HC Deb 28 July 1989 vol 157 cc987-8W
Mr. John Hughes

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many babies annually are not receiving life-saving heart surgery under the Birmingham health authority policy of restricting open-heart operations to 28 per month.

Mr. Freeman

I understand that no urgent cases of life-saving heart surgery have been turned away from the Birmingham children's hospital.

Indeed the planned number of open heart operations in 1989–90, at 320, is more than twice the number performed in 1987–88.

Mr. John Hughes

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many patients other than with heart problems were turned away from the Birmingham children's hospital's intensive care unit during the period 1 January to 30 June; how many children patients with heart problems were turned away in the same period; and how many cardiac by-pass operations were carried out in the same period.

Mr. Freeman

I understand that all emergency cases requiring intensive care during the period 1 January—30 June were admitted to the intensive care unit. The total number of open heart operations in this period was 191.

Mr. John Hughes

To ask the Secretary of State for Health over what periods of time the Birmingham children's hospital's records show that intensive care unit beds stood unused since surgeons have worked to the 28-monthly restriction to date.

Mr. Freeman

The hospital attempts to keep one intensive care bed free for emergencies, including casualties. Apart from that the intensive care beds which are for the use of the hospital as a whole have never stood unused.

Mr. John Hughes

To ask the Secretary of State for Health when all the eight intensive care unit beds at Birmingham children's hospital will be available; what steps the hospital management are taking to increase the number of staffed beds on the intensive care unit; and what steps are being taken to provide additional intensive care unit beds.

Mr. Freeman

I understand that the number of intensive care beds occupied in the last three months fluctuated between six and eight, depending on the availability of staff and the dependency of patients. Nurse recruitment continues to improve in the intensive care unit following successful training initiatives and the hospital hopes to have eight intensive care beds available with increasing frequency. A project team is currently looking at options for further increasing the number of intensive care beds.