§ Mr. McGradyTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will increase the budgetary allocation to the Eastern health and social services board in order to prevent the proposed reductions of beds and job losses in hospitals within the board area; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. HanleyThe Eastern board's recently published consultative document "A Framework for General (Acute) Hospital Services within the Eastern Board Area" contains an analysis of the future need for acute hospital beds in its area. The conclusion in the document that fewer acute beds will be needed does not stem primarily from cost or budgetary considerations. Advances in medical techniques and tchnology, and improvements in efficiency levels in the use of beds to match those being achieved elsewhere, mean that the same number of patients could receive treatment of a higher quality in the Eastern board area with at least 750 fewer beds. The Government are fully committed to seeking continuing improvements in the quality of care while making the best use of available resources and they fully support the principles which underline the Eastern board's policy for the provision of acute care.