Basingstoke General Hospital

Mr. David Mitchell
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services why the Basingstoke District General Hospital is no longer providing the general practitioners in its area with contrast media X-rays; and when it is planned to restore this service which enables early diagnosis of malignancies.

Dr. Owen
The service by which general practitioners could obtain contrast media X-rays for their patients by direct access to the X-ray department is no longer available, because it could not be maintained by the single-handed consultant radiologist. The Wessex Regional Health Authority has requested an additional consultant post and I shall consider this request with the Central Manpower Committee.In the meantime, general practitioners will refer their patients to the out-patient department of the hospital.