§ Chris GraylingTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent assessment he has made of the relative benefits of transferring renal services from St. George's to St. Helier hospitals. [54280]
§ Mr. Hutton10 criteria were considered as part of the assessment of the relative benefits of centralising transplantation services at Epsom and St. Helier national health service trust, St. George's healthcare national health service trust or Guy's and St. Thomas' national health service trust. These criteria included access; clinical quality; standard of facilities; staff recruitment and retention; strategic fit; education, training and research; clinical links; resource effectiveness and affordability; achievability; methods for patient and carer involvement. These criteria were agreed by clinical and managerial staff of Merton, Sutton and Wandsworth health authority, Brighton and Sussex university hospitals national healthcare service trust, St. George's healthcare national healthcare service trust, Epsom and St. Helier national healthcare service trust, their kidney patient associations and Merton and Sutton community health council.
579WProposals to centralise services at St. George's hospital are currently subject to a three month public consultation which concludes on 25 June 2002.