§ Michael FabricantTo ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to his answer of 29 October 2002,Official Report, column 742 W. what steps he will take to ensure day surgery facilities remain in Lichfield following the proposed construction of a new hospital in the City of Lichfield. [79049]
§ Mr. HuttonFollowing the South Staffordshire strategic review public consultation, it was decided that day surgery should be concentrated at Tamworth and Cannock, in order to provide the highest quality facilities for South Staffordshire patients in purpose-built environments, and to maximise the potential of day surgery usage in the county, by concentrating three sites onto two.
Day surgery at Lichfield ended in December 2001 and there are no plans to re-provide day surgery in the new hospital at Lichfield. It is, however, planned that the new hospital will benefit from, for example, an improved minor injuries unit, better x-ray services, more examining rooms in the outpatients department and modern facilities for the public.