§ Mr. DavidsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many intensive care beds were available in NHS hospitals in Scotland in each of the last 10 years. [10597]
§ Mr. GalbraithThe information requested is given in the table.
Year ending 31 March Number of intensive care beds1 1988 166 1989 182 1990 189 1991 198 1992 219 1993 230 1994 250 1995 247 1996 266 19972 303 1 Figures for the years 1988 to 1996 show the average available staffed beds in the specialty of intensive therapy unit. The figure for 1997 shows the average staffed beds in facilities of intensive care unit and cardiac care unit and is not fully comparable with those shown for earlier years. 2 Provisional.
§ Mr. DavidsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what assessment he has made of the degree of correlation between the number of intensive care beds available within the NHS in Scotland and the number of organs available for transplant. [10598]
172W
§ Mr. GalbraithThe relationship between intensive care beds and organ donation is complex, but there is no evidence to suggest that the number of intensive care beds in Scotland is a constraint on organ transplantation programmes. As one of a number of issues designed to increase organ donation awareness amongst staff in intensive care units, The Scottish Office Department of Health has funded publication and dissemination to ITUs of the protocols for retrieval of organs. In recognition of the current shortage of organs for transplantation, the acute services review being undertaken by The Scottish Office Department of Health is investigating organ donation and kidney transplantation.