HC Deb 13 January 1987 vol 108 cc129-30
3. Mr. Madel

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services when he last met the chairman of the North West Thames regional health authority; whether future capital expenditure projects for Bedfordshire were discussed; and if he will make a statement.

The Minister for Health (Mr. Tony Newton)

My right hon. Friend was able to discuss capital projects for south Bedfordshire with the chairman of the North West Thames regional health authority at the November meeting of regional chairmen. The regional health authority has provisionally identified expenditure of about £20 million in its capital programme for expenditure in south Bedfordshire.

Mr. Madel

As there has been a history of under-funding in south Bedfordshire resulting in towns like Leighton Buzzard still not having a hospital, will my hon. Friend join me in urging the North West Thames regional health authority to change its policy and increase capital expenditure to take account of recent and planned increases in population in the south of the county?

Mr. Newton

As I have told my hon. Friend, the regional health authority has acknowledged the desirability in the longer term of a community hospital at Leighton Buzzard. The authority also feels that additional development at the Luton and Dunstable hospital would be a proper precursor to that. I would hesitate to try to second guess that authority's judgment of the overall local situation.

Mr. Dobson

Will the funds that the Minister is talking about ensure that there is no recurrence of the five occasions in the past two years when hospitals in Bedfordshire have had to cease taking waiting list patients in order to cope with emergency admissions?

Mr. Newton

The hon. Gentleman asks a typically irresponsible question. He knows perfectly well that the long-standing and important emergency bed service arrangements necessarily deal with the possibility that non-emergency cases may need to be deferred when emergency cases arise. That is entirely sensible.

Mr. Robert B. Jones

While obviously not wishing to denigrate in any way any of the hospital developments in Bedfordshire, will my hon. Friend confirm that my constituents in Hemel Hempstead will not be expected to travel to Dunstable or for that matter to Northwick Park in order to get ENT services if capital developments take place in Dunstable?

Mr. Newton

If my hon. Friend is speaking about the possibility of a new hospital for east Hertfordshire, he will know that such a proposal is being considered by the Department.

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