§ Mr. LuffTo ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will intervene to prevent the relocation of medical services provided at Kidderminster Hospital to Worcester Royal Infirmary until the new Worcester hospital is open. [122458]
§ Yvette Cooper[holding answer 16 June 2000]The Secretary of State has approved the proposals in Investing in Excellence for a new hospital and for the reconfiguration of services across the district. The timing of the reconfiguration is a matter for the local trust, with due regard for their responsibility for safety and quality care.
The lead clinicians at Kidderminster Hospital have agreed to the moves of acute inpatient services to either Worcester or Redditch, in the interests of sub-specialisation and better quality care across the whole of Worcestershire. They have recently become increasingly concerned about the clinical fragility of services in Kidderminster, and the risks involved in coping with winter pressures under these circumstances. The trust proposes that acute inpatient beds currently provided at Kidderminster will be re-provided one-for-one in Worcester or Redditch, and have additional facilities to handle extra demand, including an expanded Accident and Emergency Department, a new minor injuries unit, new Medical Assessment Unit and additional ITU and coronary care beds. The Department has been assured that this work will be complete before the inpatient moves take place.