HC Deb 25 November 1993 vol 233 cc137-8W
Mr. Wareing

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list all the members of each hospital trust in the Mersey region giving their addresses and professional or other background.

Dr. Mawhinney

I refer the hon. Member to the reply my hon. Friend the Member for Bolton, West (Mr. Sackville) gave the Member for Knowsley, North (Mr. Howarth) on 20 July 1993 at column121.

The private address of a trust non-executive director is a personal matter and it is not appropriate to release this information.

An announcement will be made shortly concerning national health service trust chairmen and non-executive directors who have been appointed in the fourth wave.

Mr. Wareing

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list(a) the hospitals she has visited and (b) the persons and organisations she has met during the course of the current year in the Mersey region, in order to discuss national health service matters; and the dates on which the meetings took place.

Mr. Sackville

My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State visited Mersey region on 26 July as part of a programme of visits to regions throughout the country. My right hon. Friend visited Ashworth hospital, Alder Hey children's hospital and Aintree Park group practice, where she met a cross-section of staff and discussed a range of different subjects.

Mr. Wareing

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what arrangements she has made to ensure adequate financing of the intensive care unit at the Alder Hey children's hospital, Liverpool; and if she will make a statement.

Dr. Mawhinney

Purchasers are responsible for ensuring the availability of a comprehensive range of services, within available resources taking account of the priorities set by Government. It is for them to decide, in discussion with the management of the hospital, on the level of funding for the intensive care unit.

Purchasers will be using the recent report "The Care of Critically Ill Children" from the British Paediatric Association to undertake an immediate review of their requirements for paediatric intensive care. The Alder Hey children's hospital provides excellent services for the people of Mersey, where the provision of paediatric intensive care beds exceeds the recommendations of the report. Copies of the BPA report will be placed in the Library.

Mr. Wareing

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will visit Broadgreen hospital, Liverpool, to discuss with staff and representatives of Liverpool East community health council the proposed closure of the accident and emergency unit.

Mr. Sackville

On 16 September I announced that a decision had been taken to agree to the closure of the accident and emergency department at Broadgreen hospital. The decision was based on our assessment of the best, long-term interests of the people of Liverpool and followed a period of public consultation on the proposal. All correspondence on this matter was seen, including the response from Liverpool East community health council, and I met with a delegation of Members of Parliament from Liverpool, before the decision was made. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has no plans to visit Broadgreen hospital.