§ Lord Ezraasked Her Majesty's Government:
Further to the Written Answer by Lord Hunt of Kings Heath on 4 August, why a decision has been reached to reduce essential services at Crawley Hospital in advance of recommendations from the working group being set up by the South East Regional Office of the National Health Service to consider the long-term provision of acute primary and intermediate care services, having regard to the effect of long-term population growth in the area. [HL3817]
Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: I regret that there was an error in the first paragraph of my previous reply (Official Report, 27 September, at col. WA 189). The first paragraph of the reply should have referred to East Surrey and West Sussex Health Authorities rather than West Surrey and West Sussex Health Authorities.
The South East Regional Office of the National Health Services Executive is setting up a working group to consider the long-term provision of services by the East Surrey and West Sussex Health Authorities. The decision, announced by Ministers on 26 June, was made to ensure that the services currently provided, and those to be provided for the next 15–20 years to local residents, are safe, modern, effective and sustainable. The decision could therefore not await the recommendations of the working group.
The issue of population growth was carefully considered by East Surrey and West Sussex Health Authorities before they issued their proposals on the future configuration of acute services at Surrey and Sussex Healthcare National Health Service Trust and will also be taken into account by the working group.