§ Mrs. Rosie BarnesTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will take steps to ensure that there are sufficient beds and medical staff to enable accident and emergency cover at both Greenwich district hospital and the Brook hospital to be open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
§ Mrs. Currie[holding answer 27 January 1988]: The services in question are the responsibility of Greenwich health authority. The authority has taken positive steps to ensure that accident and emergency cover at both the Brook and Greenwich district hospitals is provided round the clock. To that end it has, for example, stepped up specialist nurse recruitment. The health authority is confident that the two departments will be able to cope with all but major emergencies. In the event of a major emergency, contingency plans have been made for other local hospitals, for example, Lewisham and Bexley to provide the necessary cover.