§ Mrs. Wiseasked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) what consideration he has given to the report of the investigation into the cost and results of the re-organisation of the West Midlands ambulance service; and if he will make a statement;
(2) what was the cost of the reorganisation of the West Midlands ambulance service;
(3) who was responsible for authorising the expenditure of public money on transferring Coventry's emergency ambulance service organisation with the result that emergency calls from Coventry have to be re-routed through Birmingham; and what is being done to rectify the resulting worsening of service.
§ Mr. DeakinsThe West Midlands Regional Health Authority was responsible for the reorganisation of ambulance 919W services in the region, and met the costs. The authority has commissioned a report on difficulties facing the metropolitan ambulance service with a view to establishing the effects these difficulties have had on standards of service to patients. The report is at present the subject of consultation with staff, but when it has been completed and considered by the authority I will write to my hon. Friend about its findings and particularly the standard of service to Coventry residents and the costs of the reorganisation, which are at present not readily available.