HC Deb 25 May 1994 vol 244 cc317-8
1. Mr. McAvoy

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he next plans to meet Greater Glasgow health board to discuss industrial relations between the board and health service employees.

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

My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has no plans to meet Greater Glasgow health board to discuss industrial relations between the board and health service employees.

Mr. McAvoy

Will the Minister join me in condemning the way in which the board treated its employees at Glasgow royal infirmary—the porters and cleaners—by handing them over to the NHS trust at the royal infirmary, which then proceeded to cut the wages and conditions of the ancillary workers there? Does he accept that the way in which the trust behaved compounded the board's treatment of those ancillary workers? Where are we going with those trusts in Scotland?

Mr. Stewart

The dispute to which the hon. Gentleman refers was, of course, one involving a private firm, and the wages and conditions of service between the employer and the employee. That is a matter for the employer and employee, although, naturally, I am gratified that the hon. Gentleman has such confidence in Scottish Office Ministers that he would like us to be directly and personally involved in such matters. In answer to his specific question, the Glasgow royal infirmary university trust decided to re-tender the contract to which he refers.

Mr. George Robertson

Are we not fast reaching a crisis over those NHS thrusts, and to whom precisely they are responsible? The events at Glasgow royal infirmary were bad enough and sordid enough, but we have also seen recent serious problems of buck passing at Raigmore hospital, Inverness, and Aberdeen children's hospital as well. Does the Minister not agree that, if those market-driven, wage-cutting, secrecy-obsessed trusts are not to shut off the NHS from the public that it is supposed to serve, the sooner they are back in the full health service structure the better that it will be for patients and public alike?

Mr. Stewart

I wholly disagree with the hon. Gentleman. Contrary to what he alleged, all 39 trusts in Scotland are producing evidence of new initiatives that benefit patients: new services, more consultants, better facilities—all allowing trusts to treat more patients and provide health care that is better suited to patient needs. I could go on, but I will not do so. Why does not the hon. Gentleman get up to date with the realities?

Mr. Connarty

I wonder whether, when the Minister meets the Greater Glasgow health board, he will ensure that the same terrible practice does not happen in the Greater Glasgow area that happened in Forth Valley, where one of my constituents—a geriatric patient—found that there were no emergency bell cords to call for help when she fell, since they had all been removed from the ward? Will he ensure that that does not happen in Greater Glasgow health board, and ensure that he sacks Mrs. Isbister, chair of the Forth Valley health board, for allowing that to happen?

Mr. Stewart

I do not know the details of the case to which the hon. Gentleman refers, but if he writes to me, of course I will look into the matter. The general point that I am making is that if one looks at the record of health trusts in Scotland, it is a record of more patients than expected being treated, waiting list times coming down and new services being offered. That is the reality.

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