HC Deb 22 July 1991 vol 195 c400W
Mr. Pike

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is his policy where the consultants involved in a trust application by a national health service hospital are opposed to that application.

Mr. Dorrell

One of the key criteria that are used when assessing a trust application is the extent to which senior professional staff, especially consultants, are involved in the management of the unit. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State will consider all comments received when assessing an application.

Mr. Pike

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is his timetable for all national health service hospitals adopting trust status.

Mr. Dorrell

We expect NHS trust status to become the management model of choice for all hospitals and other provider units in the national health service. We have now received 107 applications from units wishing to become operational as NHS trusts in April 1992. The decision to apply for NHS trust status is one for the units themselves and we have no set timetable for all units to become NHS trusts.

Mr. Pike

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidance his Department has given on the consultation to be conducted in applications for trust status.

Mr. Dorrell

Guidance on consultation for applicants for national health service trust status is contained in the HMSO publication "NHS trusts: A Working Guide", copies of which are available in the Library.

Mr. Pike

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make it his policy not to announce his decisions on second-wave NHS trust applications before 14 October.

Mr. Dorrell

We have yet to decide the timing of this announcement.

Sir Eldon Griffiths

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what expressions of interest in national health service trust status he has so far received from hospitals and other health service units in the Eastern region; and if he will publish a list of these in theOfficial Report.

Mrs. Virginia Bottomley

The following units in East Anglia region have submitted applications to become NHS trusts from April 1992: Allington (East Suffolk Community Unit), Hinchingbrooke hospital and King's Lynn and Wisbech hospitals. We have not yet invited formal expressions of interest in the third wave.