§ Mr. HancockTo ask the Secretary of State for Health 'what steps he is taking to ensure that there are no consequences for the level of service provided by Queen Alexandra hospital in Portsmouth and Portsmouth hospitals NHS trust should medical staff working there he required to join troops in the middle east or be required to serve in war with Iraq; and if he will make a statement. [91395]
§ Ms BlearsThe Portsmouth hospitals national health service trust has worked for many years with the Ministry of Defence to ensure that the provision of hospital services is not adversely affected when military medical personnel are required to deploy on exercises and other military commitments.
Contingency planning is ongoing between the Department of Health and the trust to minimise the effect of any call up should further deployments be required. The NHS community in Portsmouth and Hampshire is working with the trust in support of these contingency plans.