§ 13. Mr. Dale Campbell-Savours (Workington)If he will make a statement on the future of Workington infirmary. [122874]
§ The Minister of State, Department of Health (Mr. John Hutton)The West Cumbria Health Care national health service trust is working with the North Cumbria health authority and West Cumbria primary care group on an outline business case to develop modern community and primary care facilities in Workington to replace existing services provided at Workington infirmary.
§ Mr. Campbell-SavoursCan my hon. Friend assure me that there will be no delay anywhere in the system that would in any way impede the earliest possible introduction of the new provision in Workington? The provision is required, and the proposal is popular.
§ Mr. HuttonI can certainly give my hon. Friend that assurance. As he knows, the outline business case will be submitted later in the summer, and we fully expect the trust to meet its original target date of June 2002 for the reprovision of services in Workington.
My hon. Friend will know better than I do that parts of Workington infirmary are 115 years old. There is an obvious need to improve NHS services and premises in his constituency, and I hope it will be possible for me to go to Workington later in the summer to talk to him and his constituents about that important reprovision.