HL Deb 03 March 1976 vol 368 cc1005-7
Baroness BROOKE of YSTRADFELLTE

My Lords, I beg leave to ask the Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.

The Question was as follows:

To ask Her Majesty's Government whether any decision has yet been reached by the appropriate Area Health Authority with regard to the transfer of facilities at present offered by the Elizabeth Garrett Anderson Hospital.

Lord WELLS-PESTELL

My Lords, I regret that there is little I can add to the Answer I gave to the noble Lord. Lord Platt, on 12th February with regard to the closure of the Elizabeth Garrett Anderson Hospital, other than to say that the decision of my right honourable friend the Secretary of State to close that hospital was communicated to the Area Health Authority.

Baroness BROOKE of YSTRADFELLTE

My Lords, while thanking the Minister most warmly for the courteous way in which he has told me absolutely nothing, may I ask him this further question: has anything at all been done?

Lord WELLS-PESTELL

Yes, my Lords. I would point out that my right honourable friend the Secretary of State made a decision on 12th February and wrote accordingly to the Area Health Authority on that date. As the noble Baroness, Lady Brooke of Ystradfellte, no doubt will know, the Area Health Authority is the Camden and Islington Health Authority. Since then, that Health Authority had written to the Medical Council of the Elizabeth Garrett Anderson Hospital not only informing them of the decision of the Secretary of State, but asking them which facilitiesthey would wish to see recreated in a district general hospital, which would provide an identifiable unit to perpetuate the concept of the Elizabeth Garrett Anderson Hospital when it was founded. That was the first thing. It has also written to the District Management Team informing them of the decision and inviting their comments in relation to their own district hospitals. A Working Party has been set up by the Area Health Authority which will enable not only representatives of the Elizabeth Garrett Anderson Hospital to make their views known, but also to seek the best possible means of establishing the Elizabeth Garrett Anderson Hospital in an appropriate district and general hospital within the Area Health Authority jurisdiction.

Lord ABERDARE

My Lords, can the noble Lord, Lord Wells-Pestell, assure us that the Elizabeth Garrett Anderson Hospital itself will not be closed until these other facilities are provided in a district general hospital?

Lord WELLS-PESTELL

My Lords, I would have said that that would follow because, as the noble Lord, Lord Aberdare knows, there is a certain amount going on at the Elizabeth Garrett Anderson Hospital which will have to continue until such time as alternative arrangements have been made. I should like to quotefrom the letter sent to the Area Health Authority. It says: The Secretary of State requires as a matter of urgency the Area Health Authority to draw up plans to incorporate the Elizabeth Garrett Anderson Hospital within a district hospital as soon as possible. This is proceeding apace at the present moment.

Lord BROCKWAY

My Lords, may I ask my noble friend the Minister whether the name of this great pioneer in women's medicine, Elizabeth Garrett Anderson, will be associated with any new hospital that is established?

Lord WELLS-PESTELL

My Lords, I have today written to a Member of your Lordships' House pointing out that it is the wish of my right honourable friend the Secretary of State, a wish that she is communicating to the Area Health Authority, thatthe name of Elizabeth Garrett Anderson should be perpetuated and used in any setting in which the hospital is to be placed.

Lord SEGAL

My Lords, since the definite closure of this hospital has now been decided upon, would it not relieve a great deal of anxiety all round if a date could be stipulated for the closure?

Lord WELLS-PESTELL

My Lords, I think stipulations of that kind are always desirable, but in a matter such as we are engaged on at the present moment, Members of your Lordships' House and a vast army of people outside it are anxious to see that the right facilities are provided, maintained and perpetuated. We must look at this from the point of view that there are a number of district hospitals in the hospital area involved; there is theRoyal Free Hospital, the Whittington Hospital, University College Hospital and the Royal Northern Hospital. The situation must be investigated very carefully in relation to each of these to see that the best possible arrangement is made. In the circumstances, I would say to the noble Lord, Lord Segal, that perhaps it would not be realistic to try to set a date by which these arrangements have to be made.

Baroness BROOKE of YSTRADFELLTE

My Lords, would the noble Lord be kind enough to continue to show the great personal interest in this problem that he has quite clearly demonstrated this afternoon?

Lord WELLS-PESTELL

My Lords, I have no difficulty in giving the noble Baroness that assurance.