§ Lord BottomleyMy Lords, I beg leave to ask the Question standing in my name on the Order Paper.
The Question was as follows:
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will comment on the recently published reports of longer hospital waiting lists in the London area.
§ The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Health and Social Security (Baroness Trumpington)My Lords, the latest waiting list figures for London are disappointing. That underlines the importance of the Government's campaign to reduce excessive waiting lists and times, not just in London but throughout the country, backed by the £50 million waiting list fund. All regional health authorities including those in London have made wide-ranging proposals for future progress.
§ Lord BottomleyMy Lords, why are the Government closing so many hospitals and ruining local services, thus adding to the waiting lists?
§ Baroness TrumpingtonMy Lords, hospital closures do not necessarily mean a loss of services. Services may be transferred to other sites. New buildings come on stream to provide modern facilities and better health care. A good example is the new Homerton hospital. When this was opened recently three small Victorian hospitals—the German, the Mothers' and St. Matthew's—were closed with the full agreement of all local interest groups.
§ Baroness Robson of KiddingtonMy Lords, does not the noble Baroness agree that the reason for the long waiting lists in London may be partly due to the RAWP allocations introduced by the department some years ago? Although we are grateful for the £50 million input of extra money to reduce waiting lists, can the Minister tell the House what alterations the Government foresee to the basis of the allocations under RAWP?
§ Baroness TrumpingtonMy Lords, details will be announced shortly. The money will go mainly to those regions receiving the lowest increases under RAWP to help with the process of change. The fund is, of course, additional money over and above the general increase in health authority resources.
§ Lord EnnalsMy Lords, is not the most disturbing factor about the substantial increase in waiting lists that the highest figure is for emergency cases, particularly in the London region? Is not that deeply disturbing? Can the noble Baroness comment on that?
§ Baroness TrumpingtonMy Lords, the emergency cases are treated with all available speed, I use this opportunity to pay tribute to the ambulance services who, using the most modern techniques, are responsible for saving many a life.
§ Lord BottomleyMy Lords, is the noble Baroness aware of the rise in London of urgent cases that have been waiting for over a month? What is the noble Baroness going to do about that?
§ Baroness TrumpingtonMy Lords, the rise in the number of urgent cases waiting for over a month for treatment in London is, of course, a matter for great concern. However, no urgent case should be on a waiting list for more than one month.
§ Lord MellishMy Lords, is the Minister aware that the noble Baroness who asked about RAWP is right? Surely that principle has meant that London hospitals have been run down over a period in order to provide better services elsewhere. With great respect to elsewhere, London has suffered as a result. What is going to be done to change that system?
§ Baroness TrumpingtonMy Lords, the Government remain fully committed to improving equity of access to services. We shall continue to use the RAWP formula in taking decisions on allocations, although work will continue on improving the formula. The RAWP bridging fund, of which noble Lords will be aware, is a transitional measure. Indeed, in easing the way for schemes that will release resources, it will enable those regions receiving lower increases under RAWP to cope better within their own resources in future.
Lord Wallace of CoslanyMy Lords, is the noble Baroness aware, reverting to a reply to my noble friend Lord Bottomely, that closure of hospitals does mean the diversion of patients to other hospitals, most of them overloaded with work cases and underfunded? That is the problem we are facing at the moment.
§ Baroness TrumpingtonMy Lords, I must point out that temporary or permanent closure of hospitals is a matter for the local district and regional health authorities. We do not collect centrally information on temporary closures whether of wards or of hospitals. Wards, are closed for a variety of reasons. However, the department is in touch with regional health authorities to ensure as far as possible that unplanned closures are not necessary.
Lord Wallace of CoslanyMy Lords, the noble Baroness may well say that it is the responsibility of regional health authorities. Is she not aware that the actions of regional health authorities are determined by the cash finances available from central government?
§ Baroness TrumpingtonAnd, my Lords, it entirely depends on where their priorities lie.
§ Lord LeatherlandMy Lords, is the noble Baroness aware that there is a proposal to close the Victoria Hospital between Buckhurst Hill and Loughton on the
1145 Essex-London border? As a large number of old people live in that district, will the noble Baroness look at that proposal and advise me—in writing if she wishes—of the situation?
§ Baroness TrumpingtonMy Lords, I will gladly write to the noble Lord although he will realise that the hospital he mentioned is, I believe, outside the London area. The noble Lord will also be aware that until we receive letters from the community health councils Ministers do not interfere with local projects.
§ Baroness Robson of KiddingtonMy Lords, may I ask whether the Minister in her answer to one of the supplementary questions is implying that the £50 million injection will enable the regions that are receiving the smallest allocations under RAWP to solve their problems in the future? Does that mean that the £50 million will be repeated year after year?
§ Baroness TrumpingtonMy Lords, the noble Baroness may perhaps be aware that following the Autumn Statement the Secretary of State announced the establishment of two special funds: the £50 million waiting list fund and the £30 million RAWP bridging fund. These are in addition to the main increases in hospital community health service expenditure.
§ Baroness Fisher of RednalMy Lords, is the Minister satisfied that the longer waiting lists do not result from the shortage of nurses?
§ Baroness TrumpingtonMy Lords, there are many reasons for the rise in London.
§ Lord Harris of GreenwichMy Lords, may I ask the Minister whether she is aware that the question put by my noble friend Baroness Robson was whether this money will be available on a continuing year on year basis? She did not in fact answer that question.
§ Baroness TrumpingtonMy Lords, I am sorry, but I thought that that noble Baroness was confusing the two funds. The £50 million waiting list fund will be available over the next two years.