§ Mr. RedmondTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what action she is taking to prevent patients being left on trolleys for excessive periods by hospital trusts. [22893]
§ Mr. SackvilleUnder the new patients charter for England, any patient who needs to be admitted to hospital through an accident and emergency department can expect to be given a bed as soon as possible, and certainly within three to four hours. From April 1996 this standard will be improved to two hours.