§ Mr. CohenTo ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will ensure that development plans he has approved for Whipps Cross hospital do not include reprovision of any service currently provided by Wanstead hospital; and if he will make it his policy not to approve any decision to close Wanstead hospital.
§ Mr. FreemanPhase 1 of the Whipps Cross hospital development was approved by Ministers in February 1988 and is due to open in 1990. This development does not include any plans for alteration in services currently provided by Wanstead hospital. We have received no plans from North East Thames regional health authority proposing any other major changes to services in Waltham Forest district health authority.
§ Mr. CohenTo ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the reasons for the most recent declaration of a red alert at Whipps Cross hospital; and if he will consider additional action to get the hospital through the winter without having to declare a further red alert.
§ Mrs. Virginia BottomleyThe latest red alert at Whipps Cross is due to higher than normal levels of emergency admissions. Waltham Forest health authority has implemented the red alert to ensure that in-patient services for emergency and urgent admissions are fully maintained whilst causing the least possible disruption to patient services. The health authority will continue to operate a flexible bed allocation policy as has been the practice in previous years.
§ Mr. CohenTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what is his responsibility in the case of a health authority that does not commit sufficient resources to a hospital to maintain its fabric and services and to retain staff.
§ Mr. FreemanIt is for regional and district health authorities to allocate resources to hospitals ensuring that services best meet the needs of the patients they serve.