HC Deb 17 December 1992 vol 216 cc411-2W
Mr. McCartney

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what examination she has made of the reasons why implementation by Camberwell district health authority of the interim report of the inquiry panel into King's College hospital's accident and emergency procedures required the intervention of the regional general manager.

Dr. Mawhinney

There was no such intervention.

Mr. McCartney

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what action was taken by her Department in response to(a) Camberwell community health council's annual report of 1990 and (b) other representations by the community health council, in respect of accident and emergency procedures at King's College hospital.

Dr. Mawhinney

These representations were made to the Camberwell health authority, which considered both the report and other representations and met the Camberwell community health council.

Mr. McCartney

To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what conclusions she has drawn from the report of the inquiry set up at her Department's request into accident and emergency procedures at King's College hospital about the impact of bed closures and bed management policy on the operation of accident and emergency departments;

(2) what consideration was given to the inclusion of bed cuts in the terms of reference of the inquiry set up at her Department's request into accident and emergency procedures at King's College hospital.

Dr. Mawhinney

The terms of reference of the inquiry were to review procedures within the accident and emergency department at King's College hospital in the light of the recent deaths of two patients and to make recommendations as necessary and to report to the Secretary of State through the chairman of the South East Thames regional health authority.

The report has demonstrated that the main problem was not the number of beds but poor bed management.

Mr. McCartney

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list the three hospitals at which beds are available in Camberwell indicated in the inquiry set up at the request of her Department into accident and emergency procedures at King's College hospital.

Dr. Mawhinney

At the time of the commissioning of the inquiry, there were three hospital sites at which beds were available in Camberwell: King's College, Denmark Hill; King's College, Dulwich and Dulwich north.

Mr. McCartney

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment she has made of the role of the chairman of Camberwell district health authority and the chief executive in the management of King's College hospital's accident and emergency procedures.

Dr. Mawhinney

None.