§ Mr. BlunkettTo ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) whether she will instigate an inquiry into the circumstances surrounding the cases of a 94-year-old woman who spent 14 hours waiting for a bed at Leicester royal infirmary and a 22-year-old woman who waited 23 hours for a bed at King's College hospital, London; and if she will make a statement;
(2) what discussions she has had with health authority or hospital managers regarding recent cases of patients facing long waits at Leicester royal infirmary and King's College hospital, London.
§ Mr. SackvilleWe regard such waits as unacceptable. Our objective remains to ensure that patients requiring admission are given a bed on a suitable ward as soon as possible after a decision to admit and that their dignity and comfort are maintained during any waiting period.
The chief executive of the National Health Service Management Executive has today written to all health authorities reminding them of their responsibility to ensure that specific procedures are in place so that hospitals with 793W whom they contract are able to respond promptly to short-term fluctuations in the emergency work load and that unacceptable delays do not occur.