§ Mr. Peter AinsworthTo ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the278W emergency closure of the accident and emergency department at Crawley and Redhill hospitals effective from 21 January. [30115]
§ Ms Blears[holding answer 24 January 2002]: The accident and emergency departments in the Surrey and Sussex healthcare national health service trust were not closed to emergency cases.
Emergency cases where paramedics determined that the patient should be treated at the nearest accident and emergency department were accepted as were all patients self referring to the accident and emergency departments. Diversion arrangements were made for neighbouring hospitals to take other urgent (but not emergency) cases.