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Obstetric Care

Volume 109: debated on Friday 6 February 1987

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asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) which regions are unable to provide full emergency obstetric cover outside hospital; and which districts are unable to provide such cover;(2) which regions are able to provide for all commitments to delivery suites in their hospitals when an obstetrician is required;(3) which regions can provide in all their districts emergency anaesthetic and paediatric care;(4) which regions have now set up neonatal intensive care units in line with the recommendations of the Social Services Committee in 1980 and 1984.

The following information was provided by Regional Health Authorities in reply to a questionnaire issued by the Department in October 1985.

(a) Regions and districts which were unable to provide full emergency obstetric care outside hospital—

Region

District

YorkshireScarborough
East AnglianPeterborough
North East ThamesCity and Hackney North East Sussex Basildon and Thurrock
South West ThamesNorth West Surrey
South WesternNorth Devon Somerset Torbay
West MidlandsBromsgrove and Redditch
MerseySouthport and Formby

(b) Regions able to provide for all commitments to delivery suites in their hospitals when an obstetrician was requested—

Trent

(c) Regions able to provide in all their districts emergency anaesthetic and paediatric care—

Trent, East Anglian, Oxford and Mersey

(d) Regions which have set up neonatal intensive care units in line with the recommendations of the Select Committee in 1980 and 1984—

This information is not readily available. Regional Health Authorities are currently developing strategies for the provision of neonatal intensive care in line with the principles enunciated by the Maternity Service Advisory Committee.

Progress in implementing the recommendations of the Maternity Services Advisory Committee will continue to be monitored.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many neonatal nurses have left the National Health Service for work in the private sector since 1979.