§ Mrs. ShephardTo ask the Secretary of State for Health how many intensive care beds there were at the Norfolk and Norwich Hospital on(a) 1 June 2000 and (b) 1 April 1997. [125059]
§ Ms StuartThe Norfolk and Norwich Hospital had six intensive care beds at 1 April 1997 and 1 June 2000. However, as part of their planning for the 1999–2000 winter period, the trust made provision for two additional intensive care beds by transferring resources from its high dependency beds, which reduced in number from six to four.
We have recently announced a significant investment of £150 million of additional resources to improve capacity of critical care services and the Eastern Regional Office of the National Health Service Executive is currently discussing with Norfolk and Norwich Health Care NHS Trust how the trust will improve its critical care services for the coming winter.