§ Mrs. Margaret EwingTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list for each health board area the total number of intensive care beds specifically allocated per hospital for the after-care of cardiac bypass patients.
§ Mr. Michael ForsythIt is not possible to provide the information in the form requested since intensive care beds attached to cardiac surgery units are not specifically allocated for the after-care of cardiac bypass patients only.
§ Mrs. Margaret EwingTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what plans he has to increase the total number of intensive care beds and staff in each health board area for the purpose of the after-care of cardiac bypass patients; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Michael ForsythThe Government are currently expanding the capacity for cardiac operations in Scotland. Over the past two years Aberdeen, Edinburgh and Glasgow royal infirmaries and the Western infirmary in Glasgow have been allocated additional funds to enable them to increase the number of cardiac operations. It is for each health board to determine within these funds how many intensive care beds and staff are required for the increased number of cardiac operations.
§ Mrs. Margaret EwingTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list per health board area the total number of cardiac bypass operations carried out in each of the past five years.
§ Mr. Michael ForsythThe number of cardiac bypass operations performed by health board of residence for the past five years are as follows:
1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 Argyll and Clyde 93 114 105 110 121 Ayrshire and Arran 85 110 108 118 117 Borders 25 41 31 33 53 Dumfries and Galloway 21 22 30 29 25 Fife 71 71 73 84 82 Forth Valley 75 62 63 72 73 Greater Glasgow 334 291 342 324 366 Grampian 63 129 146 172 201 Highland 91 66 47 64 66 Lanarkshire 119 160 136 142 124 Lothian 270 291 226 270 244 Orkney 0 2 4 5 6 Shetland 4 3 1 3 5 Tayside 100 79 77 104 118 Western Isles 14 7 14 15 12 Outside Scotland/not known/other 12 9 6 3 8 TOTAL 1,377 1,457 1,409 1,548 1,621 Source: Scottish Cardiac Surgery Register.