HC Deb 27 October 1993 vol 230 cc811-3
2. Mr. Kynoch

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many applications for trust status hospitals are currently being considered in Scotland.

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Scotland (Mr. Allan Stewart)

Following the announcement by my noble and learned Friend the Minister of State on 15 October, nine third-wave NHS trust applications remain under consideration. An announcement on these will be made shortly.

Mr. Kynoch

I welcome the information that further hospitals are seeking trust status, which brings great benefits to large and small hospitals alike.

Is my hon. Friend aware that in Kincardine and Deeside, since Grampian Healthcare took on trust status there has been a 5.1 per cent. improvement in utilisation and a 7.1 per cent. increase in the use of maternity beds in community hospitals? Those hospitals are important to communities such as Torphins, which I will be visiting on Saturday. Will my hon. Friend join me in encouraging Grampian Healthcare to pursue a policy of further development of community hospitals in rural areas?

Mr. Stewart

I agree entirely with my hon. Friend. I am aware that, since becoming a trust in April, Grampian Healthcare has increased significantly the services that it provides to patients. There are other examples in addition to those raised by my hon. Friend, such as the eating disorder and drug abuse services which the trust has introduced.

My hon. Friend is right to emphasise that local flexibility, which is, of course, a feature of trusts, is the key to improving patient services.

Mr. Wray

Does the Minister agree that bringing trusts to Scotland has brought no benefit at all? Since 1990, the Government have spent £120 million for the additional costs of trust status. The Greater Glasgow health board has spent 21 per cent. of its funding on treatment care, and Lothian health board is offering BMWs to its consultants.

Does the Minister also agree that, from 1970 to 1980, the number of people on waiting lists for treatment care was never more than 60,000, and yet, with all the money that has been spent by the Government in Scotland, that figure has increased to 80,000?

Mr. Stewart

I am afraid that I must wholly disagree with the hon. Gentleman. [HON. MEMBERS: "Why?"] I am about tell Opposition Members why.

If the hon. Gentleman looks at the figures, he will see that the evidence is overwhelming. As a consequence of the establishment of the first wave of trusts, including the Aberdeen royal hospital trust—which received a charter mark aware today—and the South Ayrshire trust, more patients are being treated than ever before. Better services and facilities are being provided, and services are better adapted to patient needs. That is the reality.

Mr. John Marshall

Does my hon. Friend agree that the news from Foresterhill House shows how inaccurate the scaremongering of Opposition Members is? Will my hon. Friend remind the House that Opposition Members said that Aberdeen infirmary would go down the drain if it became a trust? Is not the infirmary doing well, and should not it be congratulated?

Mr. Stewart

I agree entirely with my hon. Friend. As usual, there were all sorts of forecasts of doom and gloom from Opposition Members which have been shown by the facts to be completely invalid.

Mrs. Fyfe

Does the Minister recall John Chawner, the chairman of the British Medical Association consultants committee, saying:

The introduction of Trusts has been an extremely costly exercise without proven benefit. Nothing that has happened under the NHS reforms has provided more money for services. Does the Minister think that Mr. Chawner is ill-informed?

Mr. Stewart

The facts about the established trusts and the improvements that have been achieved are clear. I can give example after example. If the hon. Lady wants examples from North Ayrshire and Arran, I can tell her that a new day surgery unit and open access X-ray services have been provided. Also, the patients' friend welcoming service initiative and improvements in accommodation and services for terminally ill patients and their families have been implemented. I should have thought that Opposition Members would welcome those improvements.

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