§ Mr. MorganTo ask the Secretary of State for Wales on how many days each acute hospital in Wales was closed to emergency medical admissions in(a) 1993, (b) 1994 and (c) 1995. [11207]
§ Mr. MorganTo ask the Secretary of State for Wales what guidelines he has issued to the health authorities and national health service acute hospital trusts on assessing the need for emergency medical admissions beds; what representations he has received in relation to the joint meeting of these trusts with their commissioning authorities on 17 January; and if he will make a statement. [11208]
§ Mr. HagueRecognising the likely pressure on Welsh hospitals from emergency medical admissions over the Christmas and early new year period, my Department asked senior NHS managers and health care professionals to develop an action plan aimed at minimising the risk of disruption to patient services.
An outline plan was developed before Christmas and senior managers met on 17 January to review its implementation. My officials are in regular contact with 213W those co-ordinating action in the NHS and are monitoring the position closely.
I have not received any representation on this issue following the meeting on 17 January 1996.