Mr. Gareth R. ThomasTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of improvements in service at Northwick Park hospital since 1999; and if he will make a statement. [48897]
§ Mr. HuttonSeveral assessments have been made at Northwick Park recently by the winter and emergency services team (WEST), the patient environment and action team (PEAT) and the commission for health improvement (CHI).
WEST visited the trust on 13 December last year and were pleased to see a number of developments and innovation projects. These included:
441WThe relocation and expansion of the medical assessment unitThe production of a performance improvement programme with local partners over the winter period leading to increased social care and acute medical bed capacity and a revised escalation policyThe development of rapid access specialist clinicsImprovements to bed management and site management.The trust has recently received a London modernisation award for the cardiology team as a result of the work to reduce delayed transfers.
PEAT carried out its latest visit on 10 April this year and Northwick Park hospital has shown continued improvement in the hospital environment and now has green light status.
The CHI completed its report on 23 October 2001 and found many areas of good practice particularly around the multidisciplinary collaborative care team and the ambulatory care and diagnostic service.