§ Dr. PughTo ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list seaside towns with a population in excess of 50,000 that have no accident and emergency provision for children within their boundaries. [118423]
§ Mr. LammyThis information is not held centrally. Accident and emergency (A&E) provision, including paediatric A&E services, is planned locally to meet the needs of the local population.
§ Dr. PughTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what his Department's policy is on the minimum throughput capacity for an NHS accident and emergency department to deal effectively with children's emergency admissions. [118424]
§ Mr. LammyThe Department expects all emergency patients, including children, to be taken in an emergency to the nearest appropriate hospital able to receive emergency admissions. Which hospital is most appropriate depends on the clinical condition of the patient. In some cases this will be the nearest hospital. In others it will be clinically more appropriate to stabilise the child and admit to a more distant hospital with specialist facilities.