§ 13. Sir Michael NeubertTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what further progress he can report on the establishment of self-governing hospital trusts.
§ Mr. WaldegraveFifty-seven trusts became operational on 1 April this year. In total, 130 expressions of interest have been received for trust status for April 1992, of which 88, as at close 13 May, have so far submitted applications.
§ 16. Mr. Bill MichieTo ask the Secretary of State for Health when he expects to name the chairmen or chairwomen-designate for the second wave of national health service trusts.
§ 18. Mr. McFallTo ask the Secretary of State for Health when he expects to appoint chairpersons-designate for the second wave of national health service trust hospitals.
§ Mrs. Virginia BottomleyNo national health service chairpersons or non-executive directors can be formally appointed until an NHS trust is established. Our current programme for second wave NHS trusts envisages formal establishment in the autumn of this year, the names of the chairpersons will be provided around the same time.
§ 20. Mr. IllsleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Health whether he has made any assessment of possible job losses as a result of national health service trust applications for 1991–92.
§ Mrs. Virginia BottomleyNo. Trust applications discuss service developments and their consequences in broad terms only.
§ 21. Mr. KennedyTo ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will instruct the management of the national health service to cease all progress towards the establishment of trust hospitals pending a full inquiry into the business plans of those trusts so far constituted; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mrs. Virginia BottomleyMy right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has no intention of stopping the establishment of national health service trusts. We are greatly encouraged that 57 trusts have already been established; and that we have received approximately 130 expressions of interest in the second wave.
§ 27. Mr. Harry BarnesTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what assumptions he made about the future activity levels of national health service trusts in reaching his decisions on trust status.
§ Mrs. Virginia BottomleyWhen reaching a decision about whether each hospital or unit was suitable for trust128W status my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State considered its application against four criteria. Each trust gained approval by demonstrating that: it would deliver benefits and quality of service to its patients; had effective leadership and management; key professional staff, especially clinicians, would be involved in management; and it would be financially viable.
§ Sir David PriceTo ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the hospitals within Wessex region which have applied for trust status under the first and second phases of the trust programme, respectively; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mrs. Virginia BottomleyApplications in the first wave which were approved and became operational on 1 April 1991 are as follows:
- The Royal National Hospital for Rheumatic Diseases NHS Trust
- West Dorset Mental Health NHS Trust
- The West Dorset General Hospitals NHS Trust
- West Dorset Community Health NHS Trust
- Second wave expressions of interest have been received from:
- Bath and District (Mental Health Unit)
- Bournemouth and Christchurch Acute Unit
- Poole Acute Unit
- East Dorset Community Services
- Royal United Hospital, Bath
- Wiltshire Healthcare (Bath and Wiltshire Community Unit)
- Avon and Somerset Community Unit
Formal applications for NHS trust status have now been submitted from all the above.