§ Mr. Home RobertsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what instructions have been given to the Scottish ambulance service about the availability of casualty facilities at Roodlands hospital in Haddington; and if he will make a further statement on the arrangements being made by Lothian health board for accident and emergency services in the Haddington area.
§ Mr. Michael Forsyth[holding answer 26 November 1990): Lothian health board has asked the chief area 484W ambulance officer for Lothian, Fife and the Borders to operate a policy that ambulances carrying trauma cases in East Lothian are directed to Edinburgh royal infirmary. The board recommends that this should apply to any patient requiring an overnight stay and/or operative intervention.
The health board intends to introduce a treatment service to ensure that minor injuries can continue to be dealt with locally. The board is actively exploring the ways in which this can be achieved.