§ Rev. Martin SmythTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when the acute hospital rationalisation proposals will be implemented. [1522]
§ Mr. Worthington[holding answer 11 June 1997): Teams have been set up in the Royal Group of Hospitals Trust and the Belfast City Hospital (BCH) Trust to take forward the decisions arising out of the Acute Hospitals Reorganisation Project. The process of implementation has already begun but in view of the inter-relationship of many of the specialties involved and the complexities arising from this, implementation will be on a gradual basis and is likely to take a couple of years. As promised by the Secretary of State earlier, I am presently looking again at the decision to centralise maternity and associated services in the BCH Tower Block. This is also the subject of a judicial review.