§ Mr. HoyleTo ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what assessment he has made of the mortality rates among renal patients in Chorley and South Ribble Health District relative to those in other health districts in the North West Region; [42049]
(2) what assessment he has made of the adequacy of renal dialysis provision at Chorley and South Ribble General Hospital; [42050]
352W(3) what assessment he has made of the adequacy of funding for the provision of renal services in each of the health districts in the North West Region; and what plans he has to review this provision. [42051]
§ Mr. MilburnThe Office for National Statistics is being commissioned to produce statistics of trends or comparisons in mortality rates in renal patients between South Lancashire and other districts. Copies of the report will be placed in the Library.
An assessment of renal services has recently been carried out. Further work, to include an assessment of resources, is currently in progress. At local level, South Lancashire Health Authority has run a population-based model as part of its analysis of health need to inform the Lancashire Renal Strategy. It has been agreed that the first step should be to enhance satellite dialysis facilities at Preston to cover the catchment populations of Fylde, Longridge, Chorley and South Ribble and Preston itself.
Chorley and South Ribble District General Hospital does not provide renal dialysis. The service is provided mainly from the Royal Preston Hospital, although some patients are dialysed at Manchester hospitals or in the satellite unit at Accrington, depending on the availability of places.