Hospital Reconfigurations

HC Deb 18 March 2003 vol 401 cc655-6W

25. Mr. Khabra

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on hospital reconfigurations. [103217]

Mr. Hutton

New guidance, "Keeping the NHS Local: A New Direction of Travel" was published on 14 February. It challenges the view that 'biggest is best', and puts patients and the public at the centre of the process. The core principles must be applied by the NHS with immediate effect.