§ 7. Mr. John Grogan (Selby) (Lab)If he will make a statement on the financial situation of the Mid Yorkshire Hospitals NHS Trust. [188507]
§ The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Health (Miss Melanie Johnson)The West Yorkshire strategic health authority is currently working with the trust to agree a sustainable financial recovery plan that delivers an appropriate level of health care for the local community.
§ Mr. GroganIs my hon. Friend aware that I have been told that, in order to meet financial targets, senior managers at the trust are considering bringing forward proposals within the next month that would involve the closure of the accident and emergency unit at Pontefract general infirmary? Such proposals would be completely unacceptable to the people of mid-Yorkshire as far east as the villages of Sherburn-in-Elmet and Osgoldcross in my constituency. Can she provide me with any reassurances and will the Secretary of State agree to meet local Members of Parliament to discuss the financial situation of the trust?
§ Miss JohnsonMy hon. Friend will probably be aware that all six Health Ministers had the pleasure of a visit to Yorkshire at the start of September. Indeed, the Minister of State, my hon. Friend the Member for Doncaster, Central (Ms Winterton), visited the accident and emergency department at Pontefract as part of that visit. I assure my hon. Friend that 24-hour A and E services will be maintained at the Pontefract general infirmary and I assure other hon. Members who represent the area that no closures of A and E departments are proposed. We will of course consider any requests for meetings that we receive and see if we can provide any further assistance.
§ Mr. David Hinchliffe (Wakefield) (Lab)In the local media last week, the finance officer for the trust gave a positive picture of the way in which it is addressing the deficit. However, will my hon. Friend examine the amount of money that the trust has spent out of the additional money allocated by the Government on securing care in the private sector locally to meet Government targets and ensure an improvement in star ratings? That is a significant factor in the problem of the deficit that the trust faces.
§ Miss JohnsonI am grateful to my hon. Friend for his question. There has been and continues to be an unprecedented level of investment in the NHS, including in Yorkshire and the Wakefield area. We are investigating whether we can get an even better deal out of the provision that has been made through purchasing in the private sector and we are always seeking to achieve a more cost-effective use of resources. I am sure that my hon. Friend will join me in welcoming all the additional investment that Yorkshire has received from this Government.