PARLIAMENTARY EARLY DAY MOTION
Closure of Childrens Ward in Halifax (22 January 1990)

That this House deplores the proposals made by the Calderdale Health Authority management team to close yet more hospital wards, including the children's ward at the Royal Halifax Infirmary; notes the proposals will lead to the loss of 80 beds reducing bed numbers from 655 to 576; that if implemented they will save ú500,000 of the ú1,000, 000 deficit facing the district health authority, that the proposal to close the children's ward is particularly outrageous and will reduce the number of beds for children from 45 to 28, will mean children will have to be accommodated on mixed wards, children and adults will have to share toilet and bath facilities, and children will be exposed to seriously ill, sometimes terminally ill adults, maybe frightened by sights such as amputees, and maybe alarmed by the cries of confused elderly patients; notes the potential for cross infections and accidents is considerable, and that it is also proposed that children will be put on gynaecology wards, without any regard to the effect on women who are infertile or who have had miscarriages; further notes that health costs in Calderdale have already been cut to the bone; and calls upon the Government to immediately fund the district health authority properly thus making these cuts unnecessary.

Sponsored by:
Alice Mahon (Labour)