§ Mr. HancockTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the impact on military personnel and people in the Solent area from the closure of Haslar Hospital and expenditure at Queen Alexandra, Southampton and Winchester hospitals; and if he will make a statement. [146606]
§ Dr. MoonieThe decision and announcement in late 1998 that the Royal Hospital Haslar would close followed careful consideration of all the implications and subsequently has been a matter of extensive discussion between the Ministry of Defence, Department of Health and NHS locally. We are satisfied that the arrangements will be entirely appropriate in terms of treatment of service personnel. The impact of the closure of Haslar on the local civilian population and expenditure at Queen Alexandra, Southampton and Winchester hospitals is a matter for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Health. We have reached agreement with the Department of Health on the funding we will transfer to compensate for the costs the Portsmouth and South-East Hampshire health authority will incur for NHS patients who have hitherto been treated at Haslar without charge to the health authority.
§ Mr. HancockTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans there are to move service nurses to Selly Oak hospital from Haslar Hospital; and if he will make a statement. [146621]
§ Dr. MoonieNurses, doctors and other medical staff are moving from a number of defence medical units, including the Royal Hospital Haslar, to form the initial staffing of the Centre for Defence Medicine, which is being established in partnership with the University Hospital Birmingham NHS trust with its headquarters at the Selly Oak hospital. By April 2001, when the centre formally opens, Defence Medical Services personnel will be managing a surgical ward at the Selly Oak hospital, with other staff employed in the acute areas of the trust.