§ Mr. Paul MarsdenTo ask the Secretary of State for Health when it was originally planned that the cobalt radiotherapy unit would be phased out at the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital; when he expects the new linear accelerator unit to be treating patients at the hospital; and if he will make a statement. [156495]
§ Yvette CooperIn August 2000 the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital National Health Service Trust's business case for the provision of a second linear accelerator service to replace the existing cobalt unit was approved.
The new linear accelerator is expected to begin treating patients in spring 2002, forming part of the trust's plan to improve cancer services.
§ Mr. Paul MarsdenTo ask the Secretary of State for Health how many patients(a) in May 1997 and (b) on the most recent date for which information is available were treated at the Royal Shrewsbury hospital in mixed sex wards; and if he will make a statement. [156500]
§ Yvette CooperInformation on the number of patients treated in mixed sex wards is not collected centrally.
We have set three specific objectives to eliminate mixed sex accommodation:
ensuring that appropriate organisational arrangements are in place to secure good standards of privacy and dignity for hospital patients;achieving fully the patient's charter standard for segregated washing and toilet facilities across the National Health Service; andproviding safe facilities for patients in hospital who are mentally ill which safeguard their privacy and dignity.The audit of single sex accommodation (30 September 2000) showed that the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital NHS Trust had achieved these three objectives.