§ Mr. AshleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what representations the supra-regional forum has received from spinal injury units on the need for central Government funding for psychologists and peripatetic nurses; and if he will make a statement.
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§ Mrs. Virginia BottomleyI understand that the supra-regional services advisory group is now receiving applications for funding in 1991–92. It is too early to specify how many spinal injury units will request additional funds for psychologists or peripatetic nurses.
§ Mr. AshleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if he will list, for each spinal injury unit, the number of beds in the unit, the number of psychologists and peripatetic nurses employed at the unit and the source of funding for each of these positions;
(2) when the first psychologist was appointed to a spinal injury unit; and what is the accepted role of psychologists and peripatetic nurses at spinal injury units.
§ Mrs. Virginia BottomleyThe table shows the average daily available bed numbers. Information on the numbers and funding of psychologists and peripatetic nurses is not available centrally and the question of their role is for determination locally.
NHS Spinal Units, England 1988–89 Hospital site Average Daily Available Beds Hexham General Hospital 34 Pinderfields Hospital, Wakefield 23 Lodge Moor Hospital, Sheffield 43 Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital, Stanmore 20 Odstock Hospital, Salisbury 39 Southport Promenade Hospital 35 Stoke Mandeville Hospital * Robert Jones and Agnes Hunt Orthopaedic Hospital, Oswestry * *Data for these spinal units were not separated in the statistical return from data on other beds and it is not possible to give a useful figure.