§ Mr. BluntTo ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what advice he received in respect of suspending the concentration of services within the Surrey and Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust; and if he will publish that advice; [157093]
(2) what consideration he gave in reaching his decision to suspend the concentration of services within the Surrey and Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust (a) to patient safety, (b) staff morale and (c) cost; and if he will make a statement. [157094]
§ Ms StuartI have carefully considered all the representations made to me over the past few months about the future of acute services at the Surrey and Sussex Healthcare National Health Service Trust and have decided that it would be in the best interest of the local population that any further changes are suspended until the conclusions of the South East Surrey and North West Sussex Service review are known.
In the interim, the South East Regional Office of the NHS Executive will work closely with the trust to ensure that services continue to be provided safely.