§ 52. Mr. Dykesasked the Secretary of State for Social Services when he expects to receive a report from the Bloomsbury district health authority on the future of the royal national orthopaedic hospital, Stanmore.
§ Mr. WhitneyI understand that Bloomsbury health authority considered the recommendations in the Le Quesne report on the future of orthopaedic services, and the responses to consultation on the report, at its meeting on 4 December. The authority agreed in principle a number of proposals affecting the Royal National orthopaedic hospital at Stanmore, deferred others for further consideration and agreed that there should be discussions with North-East Thames regional health authority on the report's recommendations, and in particular on the projected funding for the service levels recommended. Any proposals for major changes at Stanmore which arise from any of these discussions will need to be the subject of full public consultation. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State is already committed to taking the final decisions on any proposals for major change. A formal report would be made to the Secretary of State only if and when that stage is reached.