§ 7. Mr. Barnettasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will make a statement about the future of the Dreadnought seamen's hospital in Greenwich.
§ Mr. Kenneth ClarkeGreenwich health authority will discuss at its meeting on 13 November the issue of a consultation document which proposes transferring the Dreadnought's services for seafarers from Greenwich to St. Thomas's hospital and absorbing services for local patients in other hospitals in Greenwich.
§ Mr. BarnettIs the Minister aware that, according to the Price Waterhouse report published in February, such a transfer could well mean that the services that are specially provided for seamen by the seamen's hospital would become more expensive?
§ Mr. ClarkeI look forward to seeing that document if the proposal goes ahead in due course and comes before Ministers to be resolved. Greenwich is acting on the basis that it could save £700,000 for its own patient services by the proposed change, and the maritime board is anxious that the seamen's hospital should be moved to a new specialised unit in St. Thomas's.