§ Mr. TrickettTo ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what advice he gave to Wakefield district health authority in relation to the process of public consultation concerning NHS trust mergers; [1822]
(2) what is the current position in respect of the proposed merger of national health service hospital trusts in the Wakefield district; [1815]
635W(3) When the decision was taken to transfer the conduct of the Wakefield NHS trust merger consultation from the project team to the district health authority; and what advice was offered by his Department at that time. [1813]
§ Mr. HoramPontefract Hospitals national health service trust and Pinderfields Hospital national health service trust have conducted public consultation on their proposed merger. On 7 October, the NHS executive asked Wakefield health authority to undertake a further period of statutory consultation with Pontefract and District community health council, Wakefield community health council, and staff interests at both the trusts on proposals contained in the document "An Application for National Health Service Trust Status".
This further period of statutory consultation will end on 17 February 1997.
§ Mr. TrickettTo ask the Secretary of State for Health how much was spent on the aborted initial consultation process about the merger of NHS trusts in the Wakefield district. [1814]
§ Mr. HoramAll responses to the consultation undertaken by the project team acting for Pontefract Hospitals national health service trust and Pinderfields Hospital national health service trust will be passed to the NHS executive for consideration, together with responses to the further statutory consultation.