§ Mr. MorganTo ask the Secretary of State for Wales what representations he has received from the Trust Executive Advisory Group in relation to the demand for medical emergency beds. [39674]
§ Mr. HagueThe chairman of the Trust Executive Advisory Group has written to my Department expressing a number of concerns about the allowance made for medical emergency care in health authority contracts for the present financial year.
A joint action plan was agreed earlier this year between trusts and health authorities to minimise the risk of hospitals closing to emergency patients next winter. Health authorities have recently confirmed their commitment to this action plan and that this area of care is their top priority and the first call on the additional £55 million made available to them for 1996–97.
Health authorities will shortly be sending my Department details of the allowance made for emergency admissions in their contracts for the present financial year. When this information is available, it will be possible to make an informed judgment of whether the concerns of trust chief executives are well based. If they are, health authorities will be asked to review their existing contracts and to adjust them accordingly.